Skip to main content

Full text of "The two bears, and other sermons for children"

See other formats 


Google 



This is a digital copy of a book that was preserved for generations on library shelves before it was carefully scanned by Google as part of a project 

to make the world's books discoverable online. 

It has survived long enough for the copyright to expire and the book to enter the public domain. A public domain book is one that was never subject 

to copyright or whose legal copyright term has expired. Whether a book is in the public domain may vary country to country. Public domain books 

are our gateways to the past, representing a wealth of history, culture and knowledge that's often difficult to discover. 

Marks, notations and other maiginalia present in the original volume will appear in this file - a reminder of this book's long journey from the 

publisher to a library and finally to you. 

Usage guidelines 

Google is proud to partner with libraries to digitize public domain materials and make them widely accessible. Public domain books belong to the 
public and we are merely their custodians. Nevertheless, this work is expensive, so in order to keep providing tliis resource, we liave taken steps to 
prevent abuse by commercial parties, including placing technical restrictions on automated querying. 
We also ask that you: 

+ Make non-commercial use of the files We designed Google Book Search for use by individuals, and we request that you use these files for 
personal, non-commercial purposes. 

+ Refrain fivm automated querying Do not send automated queries of any sort to Google's system: If you are conducting research on machine 
translation, optical character recognition or other areas where access to a large amount of text is helpful, please contact us. We encourage the 
use of public domain materials for these purposes and may be able to help. 

+ Maintain attributionTht GoogXt "watermark" you see on each file is essential for in forming people about this project and helping them find 
additional materials through Google Book Search. Please do not remove it. 

+ Keep it legal Whatever your use, remember that you are responsible for ensuring that what you are doing is legal. Do not assume that just 
because we believe a book is in the public domain for users in the United States, that the work is also in the public domain for users in other 
countries. Whether a book is still in copyright varies from country to country, and we can't offer guidance on whether any specific use of 
any specific book is allowed. Please do not assume that a book's appearance in Google Book Search means it can be used in any manner 
anywhere in the world. Copyright infringement liabili^ can be quite severe. 

About Google Book Search 

Google's mission is to organize the world's information and to make it universally accessible and useful. Google Book Search helps readers 
discover the world's books while helping authors and publishers reach new audiences. You can search through the full text of this book on the web 

at |http: //books .google .com/I 



SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 




FKOWl'ISPIBCK. 



THE TWO BEARS, 



AND OTHER 



Sermons for Children. 



BY THE 

REV. J. C. RYLE, B.A., 

Vicar of Stradbroke^ Suffolk. 
AUTHOR OF EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS, ETC. 



LONDON : 

WILLIAM HUNT AND COMPANY, 

HOLLES STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE. 

IPSWICH : WILLIAM HU^T^ IKI^S.^KfiV "SI^^iSK^. 



/oo 




CONTENTS. 



Page 

THE TWO BEARS. I 

CHILDREN WALKING IN TRUTH. - 21 

LITTLE AND WISE, 43 

NO MORE CRYING ! - - - - 63 

THE HAPPY LITTLE GIRL. - - - 83 

LITTLE THINGS. 89 

SEEKING THE LORD EARLY. - - - III 



Sermons for Children. 



THE TWO BEARS. 

** He went up from thcDce unto Bethel : and as he was 
going up by the way, there came forth little children out 
of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him. Go up, 
thou bald head, go up, thou bald head. 

*' And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed 
them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth 
two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two 
children of them. " — 2 Kings ii. 23, 24. 

DEAR Children, — Did you ever see a bear ? 
Perhaps not. There are no bears wild in 
this country now. There are some kept fas- 
tened up in wild-beast shows, or carried about 
in cages. But there are none loose in the woods 
and fields. So perhaps you never saw a bear. 
A bear is a large, shag^, ^a.N^^t^^^^^^'^^^^ 



2 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

with great teeth and claws, and very strong. It 
will kill sheep, and lambs, and calves, and goats, 
and eat them. When it is very hungry it will 
attack men, women, or children, and tear them 
to pieces. She-bears that have little cubs are 
particularly fierce and cruel. How thankful we 
ought to be, that we can walk about in England 
without fear of being caught by a bear ! 

Now I am going to tell you a story about a 
good man, two bears, and some children. It is 
a story out of the Bible, and so you may be 
sure that it is all true. Stories in other books 
are often only "make-believe," and tell us 
things that never really happened. Stories out 
of the Bible, you must always remember, are 
true every word. Never forget that ! 

Once on a time, about twenty-seven hundred 
years ago, there lived a good man whose name 
was Elisha He was at first servant to a famous 
prophet of God named Elijah. After Elijah 
was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire, 
Elisha was appointed tp be prophet in his place. 



THE TWO BEARS. 3 

From that time to his death he was a very great 
and a very useful man. He did many miracles. 
He used to go up and down the land of Israel, 
teaching people how to serve God, and reproving 
sinners. In some places he kept up schools, 
called " schools of the prophets." In this way he 
became famous all over the country. All people 
knew Elisha, and all good people loved him. 

One day, not long after Elijah had been taken 
up to heaven, Elisha went to a place called 
Bethel, where there was a school. I dare say 
he went to see how the school was getting on, 
and whether it was doing any good. All schools 
need looking after and examining ; and it does 
them good to be examined. It is only bad boys 
and girls who dislike being asked what they have 
learned. 

Now as this good old man Elisha got near 
Bethel, a very sad thing happened. A great 
number of little children came out of the town, 
and behaved extremely ill. They began to 
mock Elisha, and called Yimkx TL-axsi^^. \»s5^^»^ 



4 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

of respecting him, and bowing to him, like good 
children, they made game of him, and said silly 
things. — " Go up, thou bald head," they cried, 
"go up, thou bald head." — They called him 
" bald head," I have no doubt, because the good 
prophet was bald with age, and had no hair on 
his head. — They said, "Go up," I suspect, 
because his master Elijah had lately gone up to 
heaven, as everybody knew. And they meant 
that Elisha had better go away after his master, 
and not trouble them any more with his teach- 
ing. It was as much as saying, " Be off and 
begone ! It is high time for you to go up, as 
well as your master." 

Just think for a moment how wicked these 
children were 1 They lived in a town where they 
might have learned better things. There was a 
school of prophets at Bethel. But I am afraid 
they had not used their opportunities, and had 
loved play better than lessons. — ^They had no 
business to mock at Elisha, and treat him so 
Ifsdljr. He had done them no harm, and had 



THE TWO BEARS. 5 

never been unkind to them. He was a good 
man, and one who was their best friend. — ^Above 
all, they ought not to have said, " Go up, and 
get away." They ought rather to have said> 
" Stay with us, and teach us the way to heaven." 
— Truly it is sad to see to what lengths of 
wickedness even little children may go. • It is 
sad to see how corrupt boys and girls may be- 
come, and what naughty things they will say, 
even when they live close to a school ! 

But what did Elisha do when these children 
behaved so ill ? We are told that he " turned 
back and looked on them " with • sorrow and 
displeasure. They had probably often done 
the same" thing before. It had become a habit 
with them which could not be cured. The time 
had come when they must be punished. And 
then we are told that " he cursed them in the 
name of the Lord." That does not mean, you 
may be sure, that Elisha flew into a passion, 
and swore at the children, as some bad old men 
might have done. He wa"a ivo^. \!c\fc \saxx\.^ ^^ 



6 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

that ! It only means that he solemnly pro- 
nounced God*s anger and displeasure against 
them. He gravely told them, "in the name 
of the Lord," that God would certainly punish 
them, and that it was his duty as God's servant 
to say so. No, indeed ! Elisha did not speak 
in passion or ill-temper. The Judge at the 
Assizes is not angry with the prisoner when 
he sentences him to be put in prison. When 
Elisha pronounced God's curse on these wicked 
children, he did it as God's appointed servant, 
firmly and faithfully, but in sorrow. God told 
him no doubt what to do, and like an obedient 
servant, he did it. 

And what happened as soon as Elisha had 
spoken? At once there came forth out of a 
wood close by, two she-bears, which rushed 
upon these wicked children, tearing and killing 
all they caught. — ^Think what an awful surprise 
that must have been! How dreadfully fright- 
ened these children must have felt ! What 
running, and. screaming, and tumbling over one 



THE TWO BEARS. 9 

another, and crying for help, there must have 
been ! How sorry and ashamed of themselves 
they must have felt ! But with many it was too 
late. Before they could get within the walls of 
Bethel the bears had caught and killed no less 
than forty-two little children. Forty and two 
little boys and girls that night never came home 
to Bethel alive. Forty and two little suppers 
were not eaten ! Forty and two Httle beds were 
not slept in ! Forty and two little funerals took 
place next day ! Many children, I cannot help 
hoping, got home safe, and were not hurt But 
I am sure they would never forget what they 
had seen. They would remember the two bears 
as long as they lived. 

Now, dear children, this is a sad story. But 
it is a very useful and instructive one. Like 
everything else in the Bible, it was written for 
your good. It teaches lessons which boys and 
girls ought never to forget. Let me tell you 
what those lessons are. 

(i) Learn, for one thvn^, \X\aX. God to>.ts 



lO SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

notice of what children do. He took notice of 
the "little children" at Bethel, and punished 
them for their wickedness. Remember, I beg 
of you, that God is not altered. He is still the 
same. He is every day taking notice of you. 

I believe some people fancy that it does not 
matter how children behave, because God only 
notices grown-up men and women. This is a 
very great mistake. The eyes of God are upon 
boys and girls, and He marks all they do. 
When they do right He is pleased, and when 
they do wrong He is displeased. Dear children, 
never forget this. 

Let no one make you think that you are too 
young to serve God, and that you may safely 
wait till you are men and women. This is not 
true. It is never too soon to take up religion. 
As soon as you know right from wrong, you are 
old enough to begin taking the right way. As 
soon as you are old enough to be punished for 
doing wrong, you are old enough to give your 
Aeart to God, and to follow Christ. The child 



THE TWO BEARS. II 

that is old enough to be chastised for swearing 
and telling lies, is not too young to be taught to 
pray and read the Bible. The child that is big 
enough to displease God, is also big enough to 
please Him. The child that is old enough to 
be tempted by the devil, is not too young to 
have the grace of the Holy Spirit in his heart. 

Children, however little and young you are, 
God is always noticing you. He notices how 
you behave at home, how you behave at school, 
and how you behave at play. He notices 
whether you say your prayers or not, and how 
you say them. He notices whether you mind 
what your mother tells you, and how you go on 
when out of your mother's sight. He notices 
whether you are greedy, or selfish, or cross, or 
tell lies, or take what is not your own. In short, 
there is nothing about children that God does 
not notice. 

I read in the Bible, that when little Ishmael 
was almost dead with thirst in the wilderness, 
"God heard the voice of tl\^\^.d." ^^^,t3x. 



12 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

17.) Mark that, He listened to the child's 
prayer. — I read, that when Samuel was only a 
little boy, God spoke to him. (i Sam iii. 10.) 
— I read that when Abijah, the child of Jero- 
boam, was sick and dying, God said by the 
mouth of His prophet, "there is some good 
thing found in him toward the Lord God of 
Israel" (i Kings xiv. 13.) Children, these 
things were written for your learning. 

Now I will give you a piece of advice. Say 
to yourselves every morning when you get up, — 
" God sees me. Let me live as in God's sight." 
God is always looking at what you do, and 
hearing what you say. All is put down in His 
great books, and all must be reckoned for at 
the last day. It is written in the Bible, — " Even 
a child is known by his doings." (Pro. xx. 11.) 

(2) Learn, for another thing, that it is very 

wrong to mock at good people^ and despise religion. 

The little children of Bethel mocked at Elisha, 

and called him "bald-head." For so doing 

they were terribly punished. 



THE TWO BEARS. 1 3 

Dear children, as long as you live, make it a 
rule never to laugh at religion, or to mock any- 
body who is religious. This is one of the 
wickedest things you can do. It is pleasant to 
see boy^ and girls merry and happy. Youth is 
the time for laughter and merriment. But take 
care never to laugh at anything belonging to 
God. Whatever you laugh at, do not laugh at 
religion. 

Some boys and girls, I am sorry to say, are 
very thoughtless about this. They think it 
clever to make game of those who read their 
Bibles, and say their prayers, and keep their 
Sundays properly, and attend to what is said at 
Church. They laugh at other boys and girls 
who mind what their mothers say, and try to 
corrupt them. Some, indeed, are so wicked, 
that when they see other children trying to do 
what pleases God, they will point their fingers 
at them, and cry, — " There goes a little saint, ^'^ 

Now, all this is very wrong, and oiFends God 
exceedingly. There sits On^ m Vfe»N^x^ ^^tsa 



14 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

sees these wicked children, and when He sees 
them He is greatly displeased. We cannot 
wonder if such children come to trouble, or 
turn out badly. All who despise God's people, 
despise God Himself. It is written, — " Them 
that honour Me I will honour, and they that 
despise Me shall be lightly esteemed." (i Sam. 
ii. 30.) 

I read in the Bible that Ishmael was turned 
out of Abraham's house because he mocked his 
little brother Isaac. . St. Paul tells us about 
this, that " he persecuted him." (Gen. xxi. 9 ; 
Gal. iv. 22.) At the time when Ishmael did 
this he was only a boy. But, boy as he was, he 
was old enough to offend God by mocking, and 
to bring himself and his mother into great 
trouble. 

Dear children, some of you perhaps have 

good fathers and mothers, who tell you to 

read your Bibles and say your prayers. I hope 

that you never laugh at them behind their 

backs, and mock at what they tell you about 



THE TWO BEARS. 1 5 

religion. Be sure, if you do this, that you 
commit a great sin. It is written, — " The eye 
that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to 
obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall 
pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it." 
(PrQv. XXX. 17.) 

(3) Learn, in the last place, that sin is sure 
to bring sorrow at last. It brought wounds and 
death on the little children of Bethel. It brought 
weeping and crying to the homes of their parents. 
If these wicked boys and girls had not displeased 
God, they would not have been torn by the 
bears. 

Dear children, as long as you live, you will 
always see the same thing. Those who will 
have their own way and run into sin, are sure, 
sooner or later, to find themselves in trouble. 
This trouble may not come at once. It may 
even be kept off for many long years. But 
sooner or later it is sure to come. There is a 
dreadful hell at last, and those who will go on 
sowing sin, are sure at last to i^a^ ^ortow . 



1 6 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

Adam and Eve would eat the forbidden fruit ' 
in Eden, and what was the consequence ? Sor- 
row. They were cast out of the garden with 
shame. 

The people before the flood would go on 
eating, and drinking, and despising Noah's ad- 
vice about the flood. And what was the con- 
sequence ? Sorrow. The flood came, and they 
were all' drowned. 

The people of Sodom and Gomorrah would 
go on sinning in spite of Lot's warnings. And 
what was the consequence ? Sorrow. The fire 
fell from heaven, and they were all burned. 

Esau would have the mess of pottage, and 
despised his birthright. And what was the con- 
sequence? Sorrow. He sought it afterward 
too late, with many tears. 

The children of Israel would not obey God's 
command, and go up into the land of Canaan, 
when He commanded them. And what was 
the consequence? Sorrow. They wandered 
forty years in the wilderness. 



THE TWO BEARS. 1 7 

Achan, when Jericho was taken, would not 
obey the command of Joshua, but took money, 
and hid it under his tent. And what was the 
consequence ? Sorrow. He was found out, and 
publicly stoned. 

Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve Apostles, 
would not give his whole heart to Christ, but 
coveted money, and betrayed his Master. And 
what was the consequence? Sorrow. The 
money did him no good, and did not make 
him happy, and he hanged himself. 

Ananias and Sapphira told a great lie to 
Peter and the Apostles, in order to be thought 
good, and yet keep hold of their riches at the 
same time. And what was the consequence? 
Sorrow, They were both struck dead in one day. 

Dear children, remember these things to the 
end of your lives. The wages of sin is death. 
The fruit of sin at last is trouble. Those who 
tell lies, or steal, or get drunk, or break the 
Sabbath, may not suffer for it at first. But 
their sin will find them out. ^owi^^ <^'i\&x^> 

c 



r8 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

in this world or the next, those that sow sin, 
like the children of Bethel, are sure to reap 
sorrow. The way of transgressors is hard. 

And now I will finish all I have been saying 
with three parting counsels. Consider them 
well, and lay them to heart. 

(i) In the first place, settle it in your minds, 
that the way to be happy is to be really good in 
the sight of God. If you will have your own 
way, and follow sin", you are sure to have trouble 
and sorrow. 

(2) In the second place, if you want to be 
really good, ask the Lord Jesus Christ to make 
you good, and to put His Spirit into your hearts. 
You cannot make yourselves good, I know. 
Your hearts are too weak, and the world and 
the devil are too strong. But Jesus Christ can 
make you good, and is ready and willing to do 
so. He can give you new hearts, and power to 
overcome sin. Then take Jesus Christ for your 
Shepherd and Friend. Cast your souls upon 
Hhn. Jesus, who died on the cross to save us, 



THE TWO BEARS. 1 9 

has a special care for little children. He says, — 
" I love them that love Me, and them that seek 
Me early shall find Me." — "Suffer the little 
children to come unto Me, and forbid them not, 
for of such is the kingdom of God." (Prov. 
viii. 17; Matt. xix. 14.) 

(3) In the last place, if you want to be kept 
from the evil that is in the world, remember 
daily that God sees you, and live as in God's 
sight. Never mock at good people, or make 
game of religion. Love those most who love 
God most, and choose for friends those who are 
God's friends. Hate sin of all sorts. When 
sinners entice you, do not consent. Abhor that 
which is evil. Cleave to that which is good. 

Dear children, if you live in this way, God 
will bless you, and you will find at last that you 
have "chosen the good part which cannot be 
taken from you." (Luke x. 42.) 

Remember these things, and you will have 
learned something from the " Two Bears^ 



f£^^ 




CHILDREN 
WALKING IN TRUTHk 



" I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking 

in truth." — 2 John 4. 



BELOVED Children, — ^The book from which 
my text is taken, is the shortest in the 
Bible. Look at it, when you go home, and 
you will find it so. It has only thirteen verses. 
But, short as it is, it is full of important things, 
and I think the verse I have just read is one 
of them. 

This book is an Epistle, or Letter, written 
by the Apostle John. He wrote it to a good 
Christian lady, whom he knew. This lady had 
children, and some of them were the children 
spoken of in the text. 



22 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

It seems that John found some of this good 
lady's children at a place where he happened 
to go; and you see how well he found them 
behaving. He was able to write a good report 
of them to their mother, and that is the report 
of our text : " I rejoiced greatly that I found of 
thy children walking in truth." 

Now, dear children, there are only two things 
I want to tell you about out of this text. Some 
of you perhaps are thinking this very minute, 
" What does walking in truth mean ? " Others 
perhaps are thinking, "Why did John rejoice 
so greatly?" I shall try to answer these two 
questions. 

I. Firstly, I shall try to show you ^^wh^n 
can it he said that children walk in truth f " 

II. Secondly, I shall try to show you " what 
were the reasons that made the Apostle John 
rejoice so greatlyT 

Dear children, let me ask you all one favour, 

— let me ask you all to try to attend. I shall 

not keep you long. Come thei^ zxA listen to 



CHILDREN WALKING IN TRUTH. 23 

what I have to tell you. May the Holy Spirit 
open all your hearts, and bless what I say. 

I. I told you I would first try to show you 
this, — " When can it be said that children walk 
in truth 7 " Let me set about it at once. 

What does ^^walking^^ mean here? You must 
not think it means walking on our feet, as you 
have walked here to-night. It means rather 
our way of behaving ourselves, — our way of 
living and going on. And shall I tell you why 
the Bible calls this ^^ walking V It calls it so, 
because a man's life is just like a journey. 
From the time of our birth to the time of our 
death, we are always travelling and moving 
on. Life is a journey fi*om the cradle to the 
grave, and a person's manner of living is, on 
that account, often called his " walkP 

But what does ^''walking in truth^^ mean? 
It means walking in the ways of true Bible 
religion, and not in the bad ways of this evil 
world. The world, I am sorry to tell you, is 
full of false notions and \n\liu\5[v's», ^xv.^ 's^^'^^^bS^ 



34 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

full of untruths about religion. They all come 
from our great enemy, the devil. The devil 
deceived Adam and Eve in Eden,* and made 
them sin, by telling them an untruth. He told 
them they should not die if they ate the for- 
bidden fruit, and that was untrue. And the 
devil is always at the same work now. He is 
always trying to make men, and women, and 
children have false notions about God and 
about religion. He persuades them to believe 
that what is really evil is good, and what is 
really good is evil, — that God's service is not 
pleasant, — ^and that sin will do them no great 
harm. And, I grieve to say, vast numbers of 
people are deceived by him, and believe these 
untruths. 

But those persons who walk in truth are 
very different. They pay no attention to the 
false notions there are in the world about 
religion. They follow the true way which God 
shows us in the Bible. Whatever others may 
do, their chief desire is to please God, and be 



CHILDREN WALKING IN TRUTH. 25 

His true servants. Now this was the character 
of the children spoken of in the text. — John 
writes home to their mother, and says, " I 
found them walking in truth." 

Dear children, would you not like to know 
whether you are walking in truth yourselves? 
Would you like to know the marks by which 
you may find it out? Listen, every one of 
you, while I try to set these marks before you 
in order. Let every boy and girl come and 
hear what I am going to say. 

I. I tell you then, for one thing, that children 
who walk in truth, know the truth about sin. 

What is sin? — ^To break any command of 
God is sin. — ^To do anything that God says 
ought not to be done is sin. And God is very 
holy, and very pure; and every sin that is 
sinned displeases Him exceedingly. But, in 
spite of all this, most people in the world, both 
old and young, think very little about sin. 
Some try to 'make out they are not great 
sinners, and do not often bie2^ 0^^^^ ^^\sw- 



26 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

mandments. Others say that sin is not so 
terrible a thing after all, and that God is not 
so particular and strict as ministers say He is. 
These are two great and dangerous mistakes. 

Children who walk in truth think very 
differently. They have no such proud and 
high feelings. They feel themselves full of 
sin, and it grieves and humbles them. They 
believe that sin is the abominable thing which 
God hates. They look upon sin as their great- 
est enemy and plague. They hate it more than 
anything on earth. There is nothing they so 
heartily desire to be free from as sin. 

Dear children, there is the first mark of walk- 
ing in truth. Look at it. Think of it. Do you 

hate sin ? 

2. I tell you, for another thing, that children 
who walk in truth love the true Saviour of sin- 
ners^ and follow Him, 

There are few men and women who do not 

feel they need in some way to be saved. They 

feel that after death comes the ^wd^ment, and 



CHILDREN WALKING IN TRUTH. 2^ 

from that awful judgment they would like to 
be saved. 

But, alas! few of them will see that the 
Bible says there is only one Saviour, even 
Jesus Christ ; and few go to Jesus Christ and 
ask Him to save them. They trust rather to 
their own prayers, or their own repentance, or 
their own church-going, or their own regular 
attendance at sacrament, or their own good- 
ness, — or something of the kind. But these 
things, although useful in their place, cannot 
save any one soul from hell. These are false 
ways of salvation. They cannot put away sin. 
They are not Christ. 

Nothing can save you or me but Jesus 
Christ, who died for sinners on the cross. 
Those only who trust entirely to Him have 
their sins forgiven, and will go to heaven. 
These alone will find they have an Almighty 
Friend in the day of judgment. This is the 
true way to be saved. 

Children who walk in tixx^iv \v2ln^ X'^'axt^^^ "jJi^ 



28 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

this, and if you ask them what they put their 
trust in, they will answer, ^^ Nothing but Christ, ^^ 
They remember His gracious words : " Suffer 
the little children to come unto Me, and forbid 
them not." They tiy to follow Jesus, as the 
lambs follow the good shepherd. And they 
love Him, because they read in the Bible that 
He loved them, and gave Himself for them. 

Little children, there is the second mark of 
walking in truth. Look at it Think of it. Do 
you love Christ ? 

3. I tell you, for a third thing, that children 
who walk in truth serve God with a true heart. 

I dare say you know it is very possible to 
serve God with outward service only. Many 
do so. They will put on a grave face, and 
pretend to be serious, while they do not feel it 
They will say beautiful prayers with their lips, 
and yet not mean what they say. They will sit 
in their places at church every Sunday, and yet 
be thinking of other things all the time, — ^and 
such service is outward service, and very wrong. 



CHILDREN WALKING IN TRUTH. 29 

Bad children, I am sorry to say, are often 
guilty of this sin. They will say their prayers 
regularly, when their parents make them, — but 
not otherwise. They will seem to attend in 
church when the master's eye is upon them, — ^but 
not at other times. Then: hearts are far away. 

Children who walk in truth are not so. They 
have another spirit in them. Their desire is to 
be honest in all they do with God, and to wor- 
ship Him in spirit and in truth. When they 
pray, they try to be in earnest, and mean all 
the words they say. When they go to church 
^they try to be really serious, and to give their 
minds to what they hear. And it is one of 
their chief troubles that they cannot serve God 
more heartily than they do. 

Little children, there is the third mark of 
walking in truth. Look at it Think of it. Is 
your heart false or true ? 

4, I tell you, for a last thing, that children 
who walk in truth, really try to do things right 
and true in the sight of God^ 



30 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

God has told us very plainly what He thinks 
right Nobody can mistake this who reads the 
Bible with an honest heart But it is sad to 
see how few men and women care for pleasing 
God. Many break His commandments contin- 
ually, and seem to think nothing of it Some 
will tell lies, and swear, and quarrel, and cheat, 
and steal. Others use bad words, break the 
Sabbath, never pray to God at all, never read 
their Bibles. Others are unkind to their rela- 
tions, or idle, or gluttonous, or bad-tempered, or 
selfish. And all these things, whatever people 
may choose to think, are very wicked and dis-, 
pleasing to the holy God. 

Children who walk in truth are always try- 
ing to keep clear of bad ways. They take no 
pleasure in sinful things of any kind, and they 
dislike the company of those who do them. 
Their great wish is to be like Jesus, — holy, 
harmless, and separate from sinners. They en- 
deavour to be kind, gentle, obliging, obedient, 
honesty truthful, and good in all their ways. 



CHILDREN WALKING IN TRUTH. 3 1 

It grieves them they are not more holy than 
they are. 

Little children, there is the last mark I shall 
give you of walking in truth. Look at it. Think 
of it. Are your doings right or wrong f 

Children, you have now heard some marks 
of walking in truth. I have tried to set them 
plainly before you. I hope you have under- 
stood them. Knowing the truth about sin, — 
laving the true Saviour, Jesus Christ, — serving 
God with a true heart, — doing the things true and 
right in the sight of God; — there they are, all four 
together. Think about them, I entreat you, and 
each ask yourself this question, — " What am I 
doing at this very time: am I walking in truth?" 

I dare be sure that many boys and girls 
here know well what answer they ought to 
give. And God knows to, for He sees your 
hearts as plainly as I see your faces this minute. 
Children, the all-seeing God sends you a ques- 
tion this night by my mouth : He says, — Arc 
you walking in truth i 



32 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

Why should you not? Thousands of dear 
children have walked in truth already, and 
found it pleasant. The way is trodden by 
many little feet before your own. Thousands 
of boys and girls are walking in truth at this 
moment, and there is yet room. Dear children, 
think this night, " Why should not you ? " 

II. And now I will go on to the second 
thing I promised to speak of. 

I said I would try to show you some of the 
reasons why John rejoiced to find this ladys 
children walking in truth. Let me see about it 
The text says, " I rejoiced greatly." Now why 
did he rejoice? There must have been some 
good reasons. John was not a man to rejoice 
without cause. Listen, dear children, and you 
shall hear what those reasons were. 

I. For one thing, John rejoiced because he 
was a good man himself. 

All good people like to see others walking in 
truth, as well as themselves. I dare say you 
have heaid how the angels in heaven rejoice 



CHILDREN WALKING IN TRUTH. 33 

when they see one sinner repenting. Some of 
you, no doubt, have read it in the fifteenth 
chapter of Luke. Well, good people are like 
the angels in this, — they are full of love and 
compassion, and when they see any one turn- 
ing away from sin, and doing what is right, it 
makes them feel happy. 

Good people find walking in truth so pleasant, 
that they would like everybody else to walk in 
truth too. They do not wish to keep all this 
pleasantness to themselves, and to go to heaven 
alone. They want to see all about them loving 
Jesus Christ, and obeying Him, — all their re- 
lations, all their neighbours, all their old fiiends, 
all their young ones, indeed all the world. The 
more they see walking in truth, the better they 
are pleased. 

Children, John was a good man, and full of 
love to souls, and this was one reason why he 
rejoiced. 

2. For another thing, John rejoiced because 
it is very uncommon to set children iwalfeing, m truiK 



34 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

Dear children, I am very sorry to tell you 
there are many bad boys and girls in the world. 
Too many are careless, thoughtless, self-willed, 
and disobedient Nobody can rejoice over them. 

I hear many fathers and mothers complain- 
ing about this. I hear many school-masters 
and school-mistresses speak of it. I am afraid 
it is quite true. 

There are many children who will not give 
their minds to anything that is good. They 
will not do what they are bid. They like to be 
idle, and to have their own way. They love 
playing better than learning. They do things 
which God says are wicked and wrong, and are 
not ashamed. And all this is very sad to see. 

John, you may be sure, had found this out, 
for he was an aged man as well as an Apostle, 
and had seen many things. He knew that 
even the children of good people sometimes 
turn out very badly. I dare say he remembered 
Jacob and David, and all the sorrow their 
families caused them. And no doubt he knew 



CHILDREN WALKING IN TRUTH. 35 

what Solomon says in the book of Proverbs : 
" Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child." 

When, therefore, John saw this lady's children 
not turning out ill, like others, but walking in 
the way they should go, he might well feel it 
was a special mercy. I do not at all wonder 
that he greatly rejoiced. 

3. For another thing, John rejoiced became 
he knew that walkim in truth wotUd make these 
children really happy in this life, 

John was not one of those foolish persons 
who do not like much religion, and fancy it 
makes people unhappy. John knew that the 
more true religion people have, the more happy 
they are. 

John knew that life is always full of care 
and trouble, and that the only way to get 
through life comfortably is to be a real follower 
and servant of Jesus Christ 

Dear children, remember what I say this 
night: — If ever you would be happy in this 
evil world, you must give yova YisasX^ xck^^^^a* 



36 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

Christ, and follow Him. Give Him the entire 
charge of your souls, and ask Him to be your 
Saviour and your Gk)d; and then you will be 
happy. Have no will of your own, and only 
try to please Him ; and then your life will be 
pleasant. 

Trust all to Christ, and He will undertake 
to manage all that concerns your soul. Trust 
in Him at all times. Trust in Him in every 
condition, — in sickness and in health, in youth 
and in age, in poverty and in plenty, in sorrow 
and in joy. Trust in Him, and He will be a 
Shepherd to watch over you, a Guide to lead 
you, a King to protect you, a Friend to help you 
in time of need. Trust in Him, and He says 
Himself, " I will never leave thee nor forsake 
thee." He will put His Spirit into you, and give 
you a new heart. He will give you power to 
become a true child of God. He will give 
you grace to keep down bad tempers, — to 
be no longer selfish, — ^to love others as your- 
self. He will make your cares more U^Kt, and 



CHILDREN WALKING IN TRUTH. 37 

your work more easy. He will comfort you in 
time of trouble. Christ can make those happy 
who trust in Him. Christ died to save them, 
and Christ ever lives to give them peace. 

Dear children, John was well aware of these 
things. He had learned them by experience. 
He saw this lady's children likely to be happy 
in this world, and no wonder he rejoiced. 

4. Lastly, John rejoiced because he knew 
t/iat walking in truth in the life that now is, 
would lead to glory and honour in the life to 
come. 

The life to come is the life we should all 
think most of. Many people seem only to care 
for what happens to them in this life. But 
they are sadly mistaken. This life is very 
short, — it will soon be over. The oldest man 
will tell you it seems only a few years since 
he was a child. The life to come is the life of 
real importances ; — it will have no end : it will 
be never-ending happiness, or never-ending pain. 
Oh, what a serious thouglal iTaaXv&X 



38 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

Children, I doubt not John was thinking of 
the life to come when he rejoiced. Our Lord 
Jesus Christ had often told him of the glorious 
rewards prepared for those who walk in truth. 
John thought of the rewards laid up in heaven 
for these children, and was glad. 

I doubt not John looked forward in his heart 
to that day when Jesus shall come again. I 
dare say he saw in his mind's eye these dear 
children clothed in robes white as snow, having 
golden crowns on their heads, standing at Jesus 
Christ's right hand, enjoying pleasures for ever- 
more. He saw them and their beloved mother 
meeting again in heaven — ^meeting in that blessed 
place where parting and sorrow shall be known 
no more. 

Dear children, these must have been sweet 
and pleasant thoughts. I do not wonder that 
John rejoiced. 

And now 1 have finished what I have to say 
about our text. I have done what I promised. 
J have told you what it is to walk in trutA, — 



CHILDREN WALKING IN TRUTH. 39 

That is one thing. I have told you why John 
rejoiced so much to find this lady's children 
walking in truth. — That is another. Let me 
now wind up all by saying something which, 
by God's help, may fasten this sermon in your 
minds. Alas, how many sermons are forgotten ! 
I want this sermon to stick in your hearts, and 
do good. 

Ask yourselves then, every one, " Would John 
if he knew me at this time, rejoice over me? 
Would John be pleased if he saw my ways and 
my behaviour, or would he look sorrowful and 
grave ? " 

O children, children, do not neglect this 
question. This is no light matter. It may be 
your life. No wise man will ever rejoice over 
bad children. They may be clean and pretty, 
and have fine clothes, and look well outwardly^ 
but a wise man will only feel sad when he sees 
them : he will feel they are wrong inwardly. 
They have not new hearts, — they are not going 
to heaven. Believe me, it \^ iax \i^\Xet x^ \sfc 



40 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

good than to be pretty. It is far better to 
have grace in your hearts, than to have much 
money in your pockets, or fine clothes on your 
backs. None but children who love Christ 
are the children who rejoice a wise man's 
heart. 

Beloved children, hear the last words I have 
to say to you. I give you all an invitation from 
Christ, my Master : I say to you in His name, 
Come and walk in truth. 

This is the way to gladden the hearts of your 
parents and relations. This is the one thing 
above all others, which will please your minis- 
ters and teachers. You little know how happy 
you make us, when you try to walk in truth. 
Then we feel that all is well, though we die 
and leave you behind us in this evil world. 
Then we feel that your souls are safe, though 
we are called away, and can help you and 
teach you no more. Then we feel that you 
are in the right way to be happy; and that 
jou are prepared for troubles, however many 



CHILDREN WALKING IN TRUTH. 41 

may come upon you. For we know that walk- 
ing in truth gives peace now, and we are sure 
that it leads to glory heteafter. 

Come, then, this night, and begin to walk in 
truth. The devil will try to make you think it 
is too hard, — ^you cannot do it. Believe him 
not : he is a liar. He wants to do you harm. 
Only trust in Christ, and follow Him, you will 
soon say His way is a way of pleasantness, 
and a path of peace. Only pray for the Holy 
Spirit to come into your heart, and you will 
soon feel strong. He can guide you into all 
truth. Only read the Bible regularly, and you 
will soon be made wise unto salvation. The 
Bible is the word of truth. Read and pray. 
Pray and read. Begin these habits, and keep 
them up. Do these things, and before long 
you will not say it is impossible to walk in 
truth. But come^ come at once. 

Children, I find Jesus Christ saying, in the 
third chapter of Revelation, " Behold I stand 
at the door and knock." W\\o V\iCW3»\f^'^s^ 



42 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

may have been going on to-night ? Who knows 
but Jesus may have been knocking at some of 
your hearts all through 'this sermon? If it be 
so, do not keep Him waiting any longer. If it 
be so, go to Him this night on your knees in 
prayer, — ^go to Him and ask Him at once to 
come in. Ask Jesus to come and dwell in 
your heart, and take care of it as His own, 
— ^ask Him to put your name in His book 
of life, — ask Him to enable you to walk in 
truth. 

Oh, think how many children in the world 
have never been invited as you are ! — how 
many boys and girls have never had the chance 
of being saved that you enjoy : — how many, 
perhaps, would leap for joy, and walk in truth 
at once, if they were invited. Beloved children, 
take care. You, at least cannot say you were 
not invited. Jesus invites you : the Bible invites 
you : I, the servant of Christ, invite you all to- 
night. Oh, come to Christ ! Come, and be 
li^ppy. Come and walk in truth. 



LITTLE AND WISE 



" There be four things which are little upon the earth, 
but they are exceeding wise : 

"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare 
their meat in the summer ; 

"The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their 
houses in the rocks ; 

"The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of 
them by bands ; 

"The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in 
kings' palaces." — Proverbs xxx. 24 — 28. 



IPVear Children, — I should like you all to 
be very wise. Wisdom is far better than 
money or fine clothes, or grand houses, ol: 
horses and carriages. People who are not 
wise seldom get on well. They are seldom 
happy. My best wish for any dear boys and 
girls that I love is, that they may grow up very 
wise. 



44 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

But how are we to be wise ? some of you will 
ask. What are we to do in order to get this 
wisdom, which you tell us is such a good thing ? 

Dear Children, if you would be wise, you 
must pray God to make you so. You must 
ask Him to put His Holy Spirit in your hearts, 
and give you wisdom. This is one thing. 

Besides this, you must read God's holy book, 
the Bible. There you will find out what true 
wisdom is. There you will see what kind of 
things wise people- do. . This is another thing. 

And now let me talk to you about the four 
verses in the Bible which I have looked out for 
you. They are verses which tell us about wis- 
dom. I hope they will do you much good. 

There you see that God tells you to learn 
a lesson of four little creatures, — the ant, the 
cony, the locust, and the spider. He seems to 
say that they are all patterns of wisdom. They 
are all poor little weak things. An ant is a little 
creeping insect, that every body knows. A cony 
IS a little creature very like a Ta\i\i\\« A. locust 



LITTLE AND WISE. 45 

is like a large grasshopper. A spider is a thing 
that the least child need not be afraid of. But 
God tells you that the ant, the cony, the locust, 
and the spider, are very wise. Come then, dear 
children, and listen to me, while I tell you some- 
thing about them. Some of you are but little 
now. But here you see it is possible to be little 
and yet wise. 

I. First of all, what are you to learn of the 
ants ? You must learn of the little ants to take 
thought about time to come. 

"The ants," says the Bible, "prepare their 
meat in the summer." God has made the ants 
so wise and thoughtful, that they go about 
gathering food in the harvest time. They are not 
idle in the fine long days, when the sun shines. 
They get all the grains of corn they can find, 
and lay them up in their nests. And so, when 
frost and snow come, the ants are not starved. 
They lay snug in their nests, and have plenty 
to eat. 

The butterflies are much prettier to look at 



46 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

than the ants. They have beautiful wings, and 
make a much finer show. But the butterflies, 
poor things, are not so wise as the ants. They 
fly about among the flowers, and enjoy them- 
selves all the summer. They never think of 
gathering food for the winter. But what hap- 
pens when the winter comes ? The poor but- 
terflies all die, whilst the ants keep alive. 

And now, dear children, I want you each to 
learn wisdom of the ants. I want you, like 
them, to think of time to come. 

You have each got within you a soul that will 
live for ever. Your body will die some time. 
Your soul never will. And your soul needs 
thought and care as much as your body. It 
needs to have its sins pardoned. It needs 
grace to make it please God. It needs power 
to be good. It needs to have God for its best 
friend, in order to be happy. 

And, dear children, the best time for seeking 

pardon, grace, and the friendship of God, is the 

time of youth. Youth and childhood are your 



LITTLE AND WISE. 47 

summer. Now you are strong and well. Now 
you have plenty of time. Now you have few 
cares and troubles to distract you. Now is the 
best time for laying up food for your souls. 

Ah, my beloved children, you must remember 
that winter is before you ! Old age is your 
winter. Your frost, and snow, and rain, and 
storms, are all yet to come. Sorrow, pain, sick- 
ness, death, and judgment, will all come with 
old age. Happy are those who get ready for it 
betimes. Happy are those who, like the ants, 
take thought for things to come ! 

Those are wise boys and girls who read their 
Bibles, and learn many texts by heart. Those 
are wise boys and girls who pray God every 
day to give them His Holy Spirit. Those are 
wise who mind what their parents and teachers 
tell them, and take pains to be good. Those 
are wise who dislike all bad ways, and bad 
words, and always tell the truth. Such boys 
and girls are like the little ants. They arc 
IsLying up store against time to CQme« 



48 SERMONS TO CHILDREN. 

Dear children, if you have not done so before 
I hope you will begin to do so now. If you 
have done so, I hope you will keep on doing 
so, and do so more and more. Do not be like 
the foolish butterflies. Be like the ants. Think 
of time to come, and be wise. 

II. But let us now go on and see what you 
are to learn of the conies. You must learn of 
the little conies to have a place of safety to flee 
to in time of danger. 

"The conies," says the Bible, "make their 
houses in the rocks." The conies are afraid of 
foxes, and dogs, and cruel men, who hunt and 
kill them. They are poor weak things, and are 
not strong enough to fight and take care of 
themselves. So what do they do ? They make 
their holes among stones and rocks, whenever 
they can. They go where men cannot dig 
them out. They go where dogs and foxes 
cannot follow them. And then, when they 
see men, or dogs, or foxes coming, they run 
away into those holes, and aie ?a.fe, ' 



LITTLE AND WISE. 49 

The hare can run much faster than the cony, 
for it has much longer legs. The stag is much 
bigger than the cony, and has got fine horns. 
But the hare and the stag have got no holes to 
run into. They lie out on the open fields. And 
so when men come to hunt them with dogs and 
guns, they are soon caught and killed. But the 
little cony has a hiding-place to run to, and in 
this way he often escapes. 

Now, dear children, I want you to learn wis- 
dom from the little conies. I want you to have 
a place of safety for your souls. 

Your souls have many enemies. You are 
in danger firom many things which may do 
them harm. You have each of you a wicked 
heart within you. Have you not often found 
how hard it is to be good? You have each 
a terrible enemy, seeking to ruin you for ever, 
and take you to hell. That enemy is the 
devil. You cannot see him. But he is never 
far off. You are each living in a world where 
there are many bad people, and few ^yyL 



^ 



50 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

Dear children, all these things are against you. 

You need the help of One who can keep you 
safe. You need a hiding-place for your precious 
souls. You need a dear Friend, who is able to 
save you from your evil hearts, from the devil, 
and from the bad example of wicked people. 
Listen to me, and I will tell you about Him. 

There is One who is able to keep your souls 
quite safe. His name is Jesus Christ. He is 
strong enough to save you, for He is God's own 
Son. He is willing to save you, for He came 
down from heaven and died upon the cross for 
your sakes And He loves all children. He 
liked to have them with Him when He was 
upon earth. He took them up in His arms 
and blessed them. 

Dear children, those boys and girls are wise 
who put their trust in Jesus Christ, and ask 
Him to take care of their souls. Such boys 
and girls will be kept safe. Jesus Christ loves 
them. Jesus Christ will not let them come to 
harm. He will not allow the devil, or wicked 



LITTLE AND WISE. 5 1 

people, to ruin their souls. Jesus is the true 
rock for children to flee to. Boys and girls who 
trust Him will be cared for while they live, and 
go to heaven when they die. Jesus is the true 
hiding-place. Boys and girls who love Him will 
be safe and happy. 

Dear children, I hope you will all try to have 
your souls kept safe. Do not put off asking the 
Lord Jesus Christ to take care of them. Do 
not say to yourselves, "Oh, we shall have 
plenty of time by and by ! " Who knows what 
may happen to you before long. Perhaps you 
may be sick and ill. Perhaps you may lose all 
your kind friends, and be left alone. Oh, go 
and pray to Jesus now ! Be like the wise little 
conies. Get a safe hiding-place for your soul. 

III. Let us now see what you are to learn 
of the locusts. You must learn of the locusts 
to love one another, to keep together, ^nd help 
one another. 

"The locusts," says the Bible, "have no 
king, yet go they forth al\ oi V!cvs^ xsi.Xsw^^''" 



52 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

They have nobody over them to tell them what 
to do. They are poor little weak insects by 
themselves. One locust alone can do very little. 
The least boy or girl would kill a locust, if he 
were to tread on it. It would be dead at once. 
But the little locusts are so wise that they 
always keep together. They fly about in such 
numbers that you could not count them, you 
would think they were a black cloud. They do 
not quarrel with one another. They help each 
other. And in this way the locusts are able to 
do a very great deal. They make the farmers 
and gardeners quite afraid when they are seen 
coming. They eat up the grass and com. They 
strip all the leaves off the trees. And this is 
because they help one another. 

Dear children, I want you to learn of the 
little locusts always to love one another, and 
never to quarrel. You should try to be kind 
and good-natured to other boys and girls. You 
should make it a rule never to be selfish, — 
never to be spiteful, — ^nefvei to g;^! into a pas- 



LITTLE AND WISE. 53 

sion, — never to fight with one another. Boys 
and girls who do such things are not wise. 
They are more foolish than the locusts. 

Dear children, quarrelling is very wicked. It 
pleases the devil, for he is always trying to 
make people wicked, like himself. It does not 
please God, for God is love. Selfishness and 
quarrelling are most improper in Christian chil- 
dren. They should try to be like Christ. Christ 
was never selfish. He pleased not Himself 

Think what a great deal of good boys and 
girls might do, if they would be like the little 
locusts, and love one another. Think how use- 
fiil they might be to their fathers and mothers : 
they might save them much trouble, and help 
in many little ways. Think what a great deal 
of money they might collect to help the mis- 
sionaries to the poor heathen. If every child in 
England was to collect sixpence a year, by ask- 
ing people for farthings to help the missionaries, 
it would be a very great sum. Think, above 
all, what good boys and gkls tai%bs. da^\^ ^^5^^^ 



i 



54 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

agree to pray for one another. How happy they 
would soon be ! Such prayers would be heard. 

Dear children, as long as you live, love one 
another. Try to be of one mind. Have nothing 
to do with quarrelling and fighting. Hate it, 
and think it a great sin. You ought to agree 
together far better than the little locusts. They 
have no king to teach them. You have a King 
who has promised His Spirit to teach you, 
and that King is Christ. Oh, be wise like the 
locusts, and love one another ! 

IV. And now, last of all, let us see what 
you are to learn of the spider. You must learn 
of the spider not to give up trying to be good 
because of a little trouble. 

" The spider," says the Bible, " taketh hold 
with her hands, and is in king's palaces." The 
spider is a poor little feeble thing, you all know. 
But the spider takes great pains in making her 
web. The spider creeps into grand houses, and 
climbs to the top of the finest rooms. And there 
she spins her web. There seems no keeping 




THE FSBSZVEKING SPIDER. 



LITTLE AND WISE. 57 

her out. The servants come and brush the 
web away. The spider sets to work at once, 
and makes it again new. No insect is so per- 
severing as the spider. She does her work over 
and over again. She will not give up. 

I remember a story of a great king who got 
back his kingdom by taking example from a 
spider. Poor man ! he had been driven away 
from his kingdom, like David, by wicked rebels. 
He had tried often to get his kingdom back. 
He had fought many battles, but had always 
been beaten. At last he begun to think it was 
no use : he would give up and fight no more. 
It happened at that time that he was lying 
awake in bed very early one summer's morning, 
when he saw a spider at work. The spider was 
trying to make a thread from one side of the 
room to the other. Twelve times she tried in 
vain : twelve times the thread broke, and she 
fell to the ground. Twelve times she got up, and 
tried again. But she did not give up : she per- 
severed, and the thirteenth tima ^\ve, '5^i5:Lc^^<is.<l. 



58 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

Now when the king saw that, he said to him- 
self, " Why should not I persevere too, in trying 
to get back my kingdom? Why should not I 
succeed at last, though I have so often failed ? " 
He did try again. He succeeded. He con- 
quered his cruel enemies, and got back his 
kingdom. Dear children, this king's name was 
Robert Bruce. He got back his kingdom, in 
Scotland, by copying the spider. 

Now I want you to make the spider your 
pattern about your souls. I want you, like the 
spider, to persevere in sticking to what is good. 
I should like you to determine that you will 
never give up. I want you to keep on trying 
not to do what is evil, and trying always to do 
what is good, and pleasing to God. 

Ah ! dear children, it is a wicked world, I 
am sorry to say; and there are many will try 
hard to make you wicked, as you grow up. The 
devil will try hard to make you forget God. Bad 
men and women will tell you there is no need 
for you to he so good. 



LITTLE AND WISE. 59 

I beg you not to give way. I beseech you to 
persevere. Keep on praying every day; keep 
on reading your Bibles regularly ; keep on regu- 
larly going to church on Sunday. Alas ! there 
are many boys and girls who give up every 
thing that is good, as soon as they leave school. 
While they are at school they use their Bibles, 
and hymn-books, and prayer-books. When they 
leave off going to school, they leave off using 
all their books too. They often get into bad 
company ; they often take up bad ways ; they 
often go idling about all Sunday. They seem to 
forget all that has been taught them Alas ! this 
is not persevering. This is being more foolish 
than the little spider. It is wicked and unwise. 

Dear children, there is a glorious house in 
heaven, where I hope I shall see some of you. 
There is a palace there, belonging to Jesus 
Christ, far finer than any palace on earth, in 
which all Jesus Christ's people shall live and be 
happy for ever and ever. Dear children, I hope 
I shall see many of you there. 



6o SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

But, remember, if you and I are to meet in 
this glorious palace, you must persevere, and 
take pains about your souls. You must pray 
heartily. You must read your Bibles regularly. 
You must fight against sin daily. You must 
say when bad people entice you to do wrong, 
" I will not give up my religion : I will try to 
please Christ." Oh, let the little spider be your 
pattern all your lives ! Persevere and be wise. 

And now, dear children, I will finish by asking 
you to think of what I have been telling you. 
I have told you of four little creatures, which 
are very wise, — ^the ants, — the conies, — the lo- 
custs, — ^and the spiders. I have shown you that 
the ants are a pattern of wisdom, because they 
think of time to come. The conies are a pat- 
tern of wisdom, because they make their houses 
in safe places. The locusts are a pattern of 
wisdom, because they help one another. The 
spiders are a pattern of wisdom, because they 
persevere. Dear children, I want you to be like 
them. Some of you may possibly never live to 



LITTLE AND WISE. 6r 

be men and women. But one thing you may be, 
even now : you may be wise. 

Be wise, like the ants. Consider these two 
verses of the Bible, and learn them by heart. 
"Remember thy Creator in the days of thy 
youth." (Eccles. xii. i.) " Prepare to meet thy 
God." (Amos iv. 12.) 

Be wise, like the conies. Consider these two 
verses of the Bible, and learn them by heart. 
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou 
shalt be saved." (Acts xvi. 31.) "Thou art 
my hiding-place : Thou shalt preserve me from 
trouble." (Psa. xxxiL 7.) 

Be wise, like the locusts. Consider these two 
verses of the Bible, and learn them by heart. 
"By this shall all men know that ye are My 
disciples, if ye have love one towards another.'* 
(John xiii. 35.) " He that loveth not his brother 
whom he hath seen, how can he love God, 
whom he hath not seen?" (i John iv. 20.) 

Be wise, like the spiders. Consider these 
words of the Bible, and learn them by heart. 



62 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

"Ask, and it shall be given you : seek, and ye 
shall find." (Matt. vii. 7.) " Let us lay aside 
every weight, and tlie sin which doth so easily 
beset us : and let us run with patience the race 
that is set before us, looking unto Jesus." (Heb. 
xii. I, 2.) 

Dear children, think on these things. This 
is the way to be both happy and wise. Never 
forget what God says in the Bible : " Better is 
a poor and wise child, than an old and foolish 
king." (Eccles. iv. 13.) "The wise shall inherit 
glory." (Prov. iii. 35.) 




NO MORE CRYING I 



** God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes ; and 
there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, 
neither shall there be any more pain." — Rev. xxi. 4. 



Oeloved Children, — ^A Bible text stands at 
the top of this page. I should like you 
to read it twice over. I am going to tell you 
something which, I hope, will make you re- 
member that text as long as you live. 

I am going to tell you about three places, of 
which the Bible says a great deal. It matters 
little what we know about some places; but 
it matters much to know something about the 
three places of which I am now going to speak. 

I. Firstly : There is a place where there is a 
great deal of crying. 



64 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

II. Secondly : There is a place where there 
is nothing else but crying. 

III. Thirdly : There is a place where there 
is no crying at all 

Now, attend to me, and I will tell you a few 
things worth knowing. 

I. First of all, there is a place where 

THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF CRYING. 

What is that place ? It is the world in which 
you and I live. It is a world full of beautiful 
and pleasant things. The sun shining by day 
and the stars by night; the blue hills looking 
up to heaven, and the rolling sea ebbing and 
flowing; the broad quiet lakes, and the rush- 
ing restless rivers ; the flowers blooming in the 
spring, and the fields full of com in autumn ; the 
birds singing in the woods, and the lambs play- 
in the meadows, — all, all are beautiful things. 
I could look at them for hours and say, "What 
a beautiful world it is ! " But still it is a world 
where there is a great deal of crying. It is a 
world where there are many tears. 



NO MORE CRYING. 65 

There was " crying " in Bible times. Hagar 
wept when she thought Ishmael was dying; 
Abraham mourned when Sarah died ; Joseph 
wept when his brothers sold him into Egypt; 
David wept when Absalom was killed. There 
was weeping at Jerusalem when good king Jo- 
siah was slain in battle. There was weeping 
at Bethlehem when Herod killed all the little 
children who were two years old. These things, 
and many like them, you will find in your 
Bibles. 

There is "crying" now all over the world. 
Little babies cry when they want anything, or 
feel pain. Boys and girls cry when they are 
hurt, or frightened, or corrected. Grown up 
people cry sometimes when they are in trouble, 
or when they see those die whom they love. 
In short, wherever there is sorrow and pain, 
there is " crying." 

I dare say you have seen people come to 
church all dressed in black. That is called 
being in mourning. Some t A^.^Q^J^. ot ^<ec^^ ^ 



66 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

these people is dead, and therefore they dress 
in black. Well ! remember when you see peo- 
ple in mourning, somebody has been " crying." 

I dare say you have seen graves in church- 
yards, and have heard that when people die, 
they are buried there. Some of them are very 
little graves, not longer than you are. Well ! 
remember that when those graves were made, 
and little coffins were let down into them, there 
was " crying." 

Children, did you ever think what all this 
crying came from ? Did you ever consider how 
it first began? Did you ever hear how weeping 
and tears came into the world ? God did not 
make crying; — ^that is certain. All that God 
made was "very good." Listen to me, and I 
will tell you how " crying" began. 

Crying came into the world by reason of sin. 

Sin is the cause of all the weeping, and tears, 

and sorrow, and pain, which there are upon 

earth. All the crying began when Adam and 

Eve ate the forbidden fruit and became sinners. 



NO MORE CRYING. 67 

It was sin which brought into the world pain 
and sickness and death. It was sin which 
brought into the world selfishness, and ill-nature, 
and unkindness, and quarrelling, and stealing, 
and fighting. If there had been no wickedness, 
there would have been no weeping. If there 
had been no sin, there would have been no 
" crying." 

See now, my beloved children, how much 
you ought to hate sin. All the unhappiness in 
the world came from sin. How strange and 
wonderful it is that any one can take pleasure 
in sin ! Do not let that be the case with you. 
Watch against sin. Fight with it. Avoid it. 
Listen not to it. Take the advice of St. Paul : 
"Abhor that which is evil." Take the advice 
of Solomon : " When sinners entice thee, con- 
sent thou not." Say to yourself every morning, 
" Sin caused crying, and so I will hate sin." 

See, again, my beloved children, how foolish 
it is to expect perfect happiness in this world. 
It is expecting what you m\\ t^<5>\. *«sA. "X>&r. 



68 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 



^" 



world is a place where there is much " crying,' 
^ and where things do not always go on pleas 

\ antly. I hear many boys and girls talking o 

] pleasures they will have when they are men anc 

women. I am sorry for them when I hea 

them talking in this way. I know they an 
jj'i mistaken. I know they will be disappointed 

They will find when they grow up, that the] 
t^ cannot get through the world without man] 

j, troubles and cares. There are no roses withou 

I thorns. There are no years without dark anc 

^ rainy days. There is no living on earth withou 

" crying " and tears. 
II. I will now speak of the second plaa 

about which I promised to tell you something 

There is a place where there is nothin( 



J 

* 



.V 



■• 






ELSE BUT "crying." 



What is this place ? It is the place to whicl 

all bad people go when they are dead. It i; 

the place which the Bible calls hell. In hel 

there is no laughter and smiling. There is no 

tAing but ^' weeping and ^aV\ixi^ ^xi^ ^ca^Kccsi 



NO MORE CRYING. 69 

of teeth." In hell there is no happiness. Those 
who go there cry on night and day without stop- 
ping. They have no rest. They never go to 
sleep and wake up happy. They never stop 
crying in hell. 

Beloved children, I am sorry to tell you that 
there are many people going to hell. "Broad 
is the way that leadeth unto destruction, and 
many there be which go in it" I am afraid 
that many children are going to hell. I see 
maiiy boys and girls who are so naughty and 
ill-behaved, that I am sure they are not fit for 
heaven. And if they are not fit for heaven, 
where will they go if they die ? There is only 
one other place to which they can go. They 

MUST GO TO HELL. 

Dear children, it makes me sad to say these 
things. I cannot bear the thought of boys and 
girls going to that dreadful place where there 
is nothing but crying. My heart's desire and 
prayer to God for you is, that you may not go 
to helL But L want ^ow \a\s:^<^^ 's^jciK. •^sss^'^ 



70 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

which you must, mind if you would not go to 
hell. Listen to me now while I ask you a few 
questions. 

For one thing, I will ask you, — Do you love 
Jesus Christ? You ought to love Him. He 
died for your sins upon the cross, that He 
might save you from hell. He allowed Himself 
to be shut up in the dark prison of the grave, 
that your sins might be forgiven, and that you 
might not be chained in hell for ever. Dear 
children, think about this ! If you love nothing 
but play and eating and drinking and fine clothes 
and story-books and do not love Christ, you are 
not in the right way. Take care. If you do 
not mind, you will go at last to the place where 
there is nothing but " crying." 

I will ask you another thing, — Do you try to 
please Christ ? You ought to do so. I read in 
the Bible that Jesus Christ said, " If ye love Me, 
keep my commandments." — " Ye are my friends, 
if ye do whatsoever I command you." Dear 
children^ think about this \ li ^ou 2:1^ ^l^h^ 



NO MORE CRYING. 7 1 

or passionate, or tell lies, or quarrel with one 
another, or do not do as you are bid, you are 
not Christ's friends. Take care. If you do 
not mind, you will go at last to the place where 
there is nothing but " crying." 

I will ask you another thing, — Do you keep 
the Sunday holy? You ought to do so. God 
commands it, and it is for your good. I once 
heard of a little boy who went to play upon the 
ice on Sunday, instead of coming home straight 
from church. "Tommy," said his mother, "why 
did you do so ? " — " Mother," said Tommy, " I 
did not remember that it was Sunday." — 
"Tommy," said his mother, "that is the very 
thing God told you not to do. He said in the 
fourth commandment, remember, * Remember 
to keep holy the Sabbath.*" Dear children, 
think about this ! If you do not like to give 
God one day in the week, your hearts are not 
right. Take care. If you do not mind, you 
will go at last to the place where there is 

NOTHING BUT " CRYING." 



72 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

I will ask you another thing, — ^Do you say 
your prayers. You ought to do so. God will 
never be a friend to you if you do not speak to 
Him, and ask Him to take care of your soul 
and make you good. If you never pray, oi say 
your prayers without thinking, your heart will 
soon be full of mischief and sin. It will never 
be empty for a day. I once heard of a boy 'who 
had a little garden given to him all full of 
flowers. But he did nothing for it He never 
raked it or weeded it. And after a few weeks, 
the weeds came up so thick that the flowers 
died. Dear children, think of this ! If you do 
not ask God to put the Holy Spirit in your 
hearts, the devil will soon fill them with sin. 
Take care. If you do not mind, you will go at 
last to the place where there is nothing but 

" CRYING." 

I will ask you one more question, — Do you 

read your Bible ? You ought to do so. - That 

beautiful book is able to keep you from hell and 

save your soul. If you use the Bible rightly 



NO MORE CRYING. 73 

you will not be hurt by the devil. I once heard 
of a little boy in Africa, who was sleeping with 
his father in the open air, near a fire. He awoke 
in the middle of the night and saw a great lion 
close to him, looking as if he was going to seize 
him. The little boy took up a lighted stick out 
of the fire, and put it in the lion's face, and 
drove him away. Dear children, thuik of this I 
The devil is " a roaring lion seeking whom he 
may devour." But he cannot harm you if you 
make a right use of the Bible. If you would 
drive him from you you must read your Bible. 
If you can read, and yet neglect your Bible, 
you are in great danger. Take care. If you 
do not mind the devil will carry you off to the 
place where there is nothing but " crying." 

Beloved children, remember my five questious. 
Think of them often, and try your own hearts 
by them. I am not afraid about children who 
love Jesus, and try to please Him, and keep the 
Sunday holy, and pray and read their Bibles. I 
. am not afiraid that they will gp to \\s)l ^ ^X^R^v 



74 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

die. But I am afraid about children who care 
nothing about these things. I think they are in 
great danger. 

III. I will now speak of the third place 
about which I promised to tell you something. 
There is a place where there is no crying 

AT ALL. 

What is this place ? It is heaven. It is the 
place to which all good people go when they 
are dead. There all is joy and happiness. There 
no tears are shed. There sorrow and pain and 
sickness and death can never enter in. There 
can be no crying in heaven, because there is 
nothing that can cause grief. 

Dear children, there will be no more lessons 
in heaven. All will have been learned. The 
school will be closed. The rod and correction 
will be laid aside for ever. There will be an 
eternal holiday. 

There will be no more work in heaven. Man 
will no longer need to labour for his bread. 
The head will no longer have to ache with 



NO MORE CRYING. 75 

thinking. The hands will no longer be stiff 
and brown with toiling. There will be an eter- 
nal rest for the people of God. 

There will be no sickness in heaven. Pain 
and disease and weakness and death will not be 
known. The people who dwell there shall no 
more say, "I am sick." They will be always 
well. There will be nothing but health and 
strength for evermore. 

There will be no sin in heaven. There will be no 
bad tempers, no unkind words, no spiteful actions. 
The great tempter, the devil, will not be allowed 
to come in and spoil the happiness. There shall 
be nothing but holiness and love for evermore. 

Best of all, the Lord Jesus Christ himself will 
be in the midst of heaven. His people shall at 
last see Him face to face, and go out from His 
presence no more. He shall gather His lambs 
into His bosom, and wipe away all tears from 
all eyes. Where He is will be fulness of joy, 
and at His right hand shall be pleasures for 
evermore. 



76 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

Dear children, would you not like to go to 
heaven ? We cannot live always in this world. 
A day will come when we must die, like the old 
people who have died already. Children, would 
you not like to go to heaven when you die? 
Listen to me, and I will tell you something 
about the way by which you must go. 

If you would go to heaven, you must have 
your sins forgiven, and your hearts made new 
and good. There is only One who can do this 
for you. That one is the Lord Jesus Christ. 
God has appointed Him to be the Friend of 
sinners. He can wash away your sins in His 
own precious blood. He can make your hearts 
new by putting the Holy Spirit in them. He is 
the Way and the Door into heaven. He has the 
keys in His hand. Children, if you want to go 
to heaven, you must ask Jesus Christ to let you 
in. 

Ask Jesus in prayer to get ready a place for 

you in that world where there is no " crying." 

Ask Him to put your name ixv'RSs Xyi^k.QC Ufe^ 



NO MORE CRYING. 77 

and to make you one of His people. Ask Hira 
to cleanse you from all your sins, and to put the 
Holy Ghost in your heart Ask Him to give 
you power to fight His battle against sin, the 
world, and the devil. Ask Him to give you 
grace to make you good while you are young, 
and good when you grow up, that so you may 
be safe while you live, and happy for ever when 
you die. 

Children, Jesus Christ is ready to do all this, 
if you will only ask Him. He has done it for 
many people already. He is waiting to do it 
for you at this very time. Do not be afraid to 
ask Him. Tell Him you have heard that He 
was very kind to people when He was on earth, 
^d ask Him to be kind to you. Remind Him 
how kind He was to the poor dying thief on the 
cross. Say to Him, "Lord Jesus, remember 
me ; I want to go to heaven. Lord, think upon 
me. Lord, give me the Holy Spirit. Lord, 
pardon my sins, and give me a new heart Lord 
Jesus, save me." 



78 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

And now, children, I have kept my word. I 
have told you of three places. I have told yoi 
of a place where there is nothing but crying. 1 
hope none of you will go there. — I have tolc 
you of a place where there is no crying. I hopt 
you will all go there. — I have told you of a place 
where there is a great deal of crying. Thai 
place is the world in which you are living 
Would you like, last of all, to know the besi 
way to be happy in this world ? Listen to me 
and I will tell you. 

The happiest ' people in this world are those 
who make the Bible the rule of their lives. The] 
read their Bibles often. They believe what th( 
Bible says. They love that Saviour Jesus Chris 
of whom the Bible speaks. They try to obe] 
what the Bible commands. None are so happ] 
as these people. They cannot prevent sicknesj 
and trouble coming to them sometimes. Bu 
they learn from the Bible to bear them patiently 
Children, if you would get through the work 
happily, make the Bible yo\M b^^l felaiwL 



NO MORE CRYING. 79 

Shall I tell you a story that I once heard 
about a little boy and the Bible? Perhaps it 
will help you to remember what I have just 
been saying. I want the words I have just 
written to stick for ever in your minds. 

" Father," said this little boy one day, " I do 
not see any use in reading the Bible. I do not 
see that it does people any good." — Little Johnny 
said this in a rather cross and pettish way, and 
his father thought it best not to begin reasoning 
with him. " Johnny," he said, " put on your hat 
and come out, and take a walk with me." 

Johnny's father took him first to a house 
where there was an old woman who was very 
poor, and he talked to her about her poverty. — 
" Sir," said the old woman, " I do not complain. 
I have read in the Bible these words, * I have 
learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be 
content.' " — "Johnny," said the little boy's father, 
" hear what the old woman says." 

They went on to another house, where there 
was a young woman who was vei^ IVl^^xsL^xss^a^s. 



8o SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

likely to get better. Johnny's father asked her 
if she felt afraid to die. — " No I " she said, " I 
find it written in the Bible, * Though I walk 
through the valley of the shadow of death I will 
fear no evil, for Thou art with me.' " " Johnny," 
said the Uttle boy's father again, " hear what the 
young woman says." 

Children, when Johnny and his father came 
home that afternoon firom their walk, his father 
asked him one question. "Johnny," he said, 
"do you think it is of any use to read the 
Bible? Do you think reading the Bible does 
people any good ? " 

And now what do you think Johnny said? 
I will tell you. He held down his head, and 
said nothing. But his face got very red, and he 
looked very much ashamed. 

Children, from that very day Johnny was 
never heard again to say, "It is of no use 
reading the Bible." 

Beloved children, remember my parting words. 
The way to get thiougjci \)afe ^oxld wth the 



NO MORE CRYING. 8 1 

least possible crying, is to read the Bible, 
believe the Bible, pray over the Bible, live by 
the Bible. 

He that goes through life in this way will 
have the least "crying" in this world. And 
best of all, he will have no crying at all in 

THE world to come. 






>^5-^S-^ 



4^ •'k 



THE 
HAPPY LITTLE GIRLx 

DEAR Children, — ^Would you like to know 
who was the happiest child I ever saw? 
Listen to me, and I will tell you. 

The happiest child I ever saw was a little 
girl whom I once met travelling in a railway 
carriage. We were both going on a journey 
to London, and we travelled a great many miles 
together. She was only eight years old, and 
she was quite blind. She had never been able 
to see at all. She had never seen the sun, and 
the stars, and the sky, and the grass, and the 
flowers, and the trees, and the birds, and all 
those pleasant things which you see every day 
of your lives; but still sVve 'was q^\\&\a::^^^- 






i 



1.1 i. 






I 



ii 



J! 

1 



84 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 



She was by herself, poor little thing. 

had no friends or relations to take care of 

j^ on the journey, and be good to her; but 

,t was quite happy and content. She said -s^ 

she got into the carriage, — " Tell me how n 

jj*: people there are in the carriage: I am q 

fij blind, and can see nothing." A gentle: 

asked her, " If she was not afraid ? " " No," 

said, "I am not frightened; I have travc 

before, and I trust in God, and people 

always very good to me." 

But I soon found out the reason why 
was so happy ; and what do you think it y 
She loved Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ Ic 
her ; she had sought Jesus Christ, and she 
found Him? 

I began to talk to her about the Bible, 
I soon saw she knew a great deal of it. 
went to a school where the mistress used 
read the Bible to her; and she was a good 
^ ' and had remembered what her mistress 

read. 



THE HAPPY LITTLE GIRL. 85 

Dear chfldren, you cannot think how many 
things in the Bible this poor little blind girl 
knew. I only wish that every grown up person 
in England knew as much as she did. But I 
must try and tell you some of them. 

She talked to me about sin : how it first came 
into the world, when Adam and Eve ate the 
forbidden fruit, and how it was to be seen 
everywhere now. "Oh," she said, "there are 
no really good people ! The very best people 
in the world have many sins every day, and I 
am sure we all of us waste a great deal of time, 
if we do nothing else wrong. Oh, we are all 
such sinners! There is nobody who has not 
sinned a great many sins." 

And then she talked about Jesus Christ. 
She told me about the agony in the garden 
of Gethsemane, — ^about His sweating drops of 
blood,— ^bout the soldiers nailing Him to the 
cross, — ^about the spear piercing His side, and 
blood and water coming out " Oh," she said, 
" how very good it was of Him to die for us^ 



86 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

and such a cruel death ! How good He was 
to suffer so for our sins." 

And then she talked about wicked people. 
She told me she was afraid there were a great 
many in the world, and it made her very 
unhappy to see how many of her school-fellows 
and acquaintances went on. ^' But," she said, 
" I know the reason why they are so wicked : 
it is because they do not try to be good, — ^they 
do not wish to be good, — they do not ask Jesus 
to make them good." 

I asked her what part of the Bible she liked 
best. She told me she liked all the history of 
Jesus Christ, but the chapters she was most 
fond of were the three last chapters of the Book 
of Revelation. I had got a Bible with me, and 
I took it out and read these chapters to her as 
we went along. 

When I had done she began to talk about 
heaven. " Think," she said, " how nice it will 
be to be there ! There will be no more sorrow, 
nor crying, nor tears. And then Jesus Christ 



THE HAPPY LITTLE GIRL. 87 

will be there, for it says, * the Lamb is the light 
thereof,' and we shall always be with Him ; and 
beside this, there shall be no night there : they 
will need no candle nor light of the sun." 

Dear children, just think of this poor little 
blind girl. Think of her taking pleasure in 
talking of Jesus Christ. Think of her rejoicing 
in the account of heaven, where there shall be 
no sorrow nor night 

I have never seen her since. She went to 
her own home in London, and I do not know 
whether she is alive or not; but I hope she 
is, and I have no doubt Jesus Christ has taken 
good care of her. 

Dear children, are you as happy and as 
cheerful as she was? 

You are not blind : you have eyes, and can 
run about and see ever3rthing, and go where 
you like, and read as much as you please to 
yourselves. But are you as happy as this poor 
littiegirl? 






iij 



ji 

Irrii 



if 






88 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

Oh, if you wish to be happy in this w( 
remember my advice to-day, — do as the ] 
blind girl did : " Love Jesus Christ, and 
will love you; seek Him early, and you j 
find Him." 




LITTLE THINGS. 

INTRODUCTION. 

DEAR Children, — Did you ever see a bird's 
nest? Did you ever look closely at it? 
Did you ever observe how wisely and cleverly 
it is made? There are few things so beautiful 
and well-contrived as a bird's nest 

Millions of nests are made by old birds every 
year. Millions of young birds are hatched and 
reared in them. There would soon be no more 
thrushes, and larks, and nightingales, if there 
were no nests. 

The most beautiful Bird's Nest I ever saw was 
made of stone and timber, and not of twigs and 
moss. It was not made by the bills and claws 
of birds, but by the hands of isaaxv. O^isisjofc^^ 



90 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

what kind of a nest do you think this was? 
am sure you will never guess, and so I must U 
you. 

The bird's nest which I thought so beautif 
is a large house in Ireland, at a place callc 
Kingstown. It is a house built by kind peop 
to take in boys and girls who have no friend 
Once received into this house, these boys ar 
girls are washed, and clothed, and fed, ai 
taught, until they are old enough to get the 
own living. Children, do you not think tl 
" Bird's Nest" was a very good name to give i 
this house ? 

Now, it costs a great deal of money to ke( 
up this "Bird's Nest" in proper order. Tl 
clothes the poor friendless boys and girls we 
cost money ; the food that they eat every 6i 
costs money; the teachers who teach the 
every day must be paid for their work; tl 
servants who help to keep the place clean mu 
have their wages; the house itself must I 
Aept in repair, AH this costs a. ©:eat deal 



LITTLE THINGS. 9 1 

• 

money. Children, shall I tell you how some of 
this money is got ? 

Some of the money which goes to keep up the 
Kingstown " Bird's Nest " is collected by little 
boys and girls in Dublin, who ask their friends 
to help. Think what a nice thing that is to 
do ! How much better to collect money for the 
" Bird's Nest," than to waste it on sugar-plums, 
and cakes, and toys ! 

Children, when I was over in Dublin, I saw 
these little collectors of money for the " Bird's 
Nest " gathered together. It was a very pleasant 
sight to my eyes to see so many little friends to 
the friendless, and helpers of the helpless. I 
made them a speech to encourage them and 
cheer them on. This is the speech of which you 
have part now before you. I hope it will do 
you good. 

Children, would you not like to help the 
" Bird's Nest " yourselves ? If you would, I 
will tell you what to do. Send some money to 
"Mrs. Smylie, Merrion Square^ DuJilixs." ^s^ 



92 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

tell her it is for the Kingstown " Bird's Nest," and 
I am sure she will be very thankful Send it in 
postage stamps, or by a post office order. But 
remember to say who it came from, or else she 
will not be able to write and thank yotu 




1 1 ofeflr '*,JII 


mwiiiiiiwiiiMMi^M 


''Y I'lJi'' 






3 


ll 
1^ 


1- 


wm. 


s 


1 


§- 



THE imti^ 'S^Kt. 



« ■< 



A TALK WITH CHILDREN. 

My dear children, I have been asked to speak 
to the boys and girls who collect for the Kings- 
town "Bird's Nest" I must begin by telling 
you that it is a very hard thing to do. I must 
get you all to help me. How can you help me? 
You can help me by being as quiet and attentive 
as you can, by sitting as still as you can, and by 
opening your ears as wide as you can. 

Children, what is the first thing we want to 
do for the boys and girls in the " Bird's Nest " ? 
I will tell you. Our sy^eat work is to help them 
to get to heaven. We want their souls to be 
saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ We 
want them to be washed in Jesus' blood, clothed 
in His robe of righteousness, and made partakers 
of His grace. We want \.\\ea!L \si ^^^ nss^X;.^^^ 



96 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

praying, Bible-reading, God-fearing, men and 
women. 

But some people may say, " What have boys 
and girls to do with this * Bird's Nest?' Why 
not leave it to grown people to get all the money? 
They are better able to do it. Boys and girls 
should not have anything to do with it" 

Why, dear boys and girls, there are no persons 
in the world that are so bound to work for the 
Lord Jesus Christ, and for the souls of people, 
as children. There are none who ought to try 
so much to make known the Gospel of Jesus 
Christ as children. Do you know what children 
come to in heathen lands ? Here in this happy 
Christian country, when boys and girls are bom 
there is great joy and pleasure. On the contrary, 
it is a very common thing in heathen lands to 
kill the little child, to bury it alive, or strangle 
it, or starve it to death. Is it not very shocking ? 
But these poor heathens know no better. 

You have heard of the South Sea Islands. 
Look at the map of tVve woi\A. TVvo^^ V«L<^ 



LITTLE THINGS. 97 

black dots to the left of South America, they 
are the South Sea Islands. Well, these Islands 
a few years ago were full of idolaters. The poor 
people there bowed down to stocks and stones, 
and knew nothing of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
Kind missionaries went to them, and told them 
of Christ, and salvation by Him. God blessed 
their work, and many of the poor heathens were 
converted, and many of these heathen islands 
are now become Christian lands. After they 
were converted, many of the people said, " We 
wish we had heard these things before I If you 
had only told us these things long ago, we should 
never have done the wicked things we did." And 
at one of these islands a woman got up after a 
missionary meeting, and said, " Oh, sir, if I had 
only heard these things before ! I had nineteen 
little children, and have murdered every one of 
them I Because I knew nothing of the Bible, I 
didn't care for my dear little children. Oh, that 
I had known long ago about Jesus Christ and 
about this blessed Bible^^xA^^Ni:^. '^^^'^^'^s^ 

-a 



98 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

Heaven ! " I always say that wotnen^ childre^m, 
and the/^^r, ought to do more for the Gospe/ 
than any others in the world. It brings t?um so 
many blessings. 

But now comes the question, What can you 
do? Many people will say, "Well, what can 
these little boys and girls do ? What is the use 
of such little help as they can give to the * Bird's 
Nest?'" Oh, my dear children, who can tell 
the power of littles ? The power of littles is very 
wonderful ! No one knows what can be done 
by a little, and a little, and a little. Did you 
ever think about Noah's Ark? Did you ever 
think what a large thing Noah's Ark must have 
been ? Just think of Noah having to make a 
vessel big enough to hold aH the beasts and aU 
the birds. How do you think the ark was 
made? It was not done all at once. Oh, no! 
It was made plank by plank, and piece by piece, 
by little and little. Perhaps you would have 
said, if you had seen Noah at his work, " Oh, 
wAdt's the use of that little pi^et^ ^>adcL z. bit ? " 



LITTLE THINGS. 99 

or " What's the use of that one plank ? " Chil- 
dren, lUtle by little is that which makes a large 
thing at last. So we want as many little things 
as we can get for the " Bird's Nest," and joined 
together, they will make the whole of what we 
want. 

God says in the Bible, " Who hath despised 
the day of small things ? " There is also a text 
spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ about little 
things. "He that is faithful in that which is 
least, is faithful also in much ; and he that is 
unjust in the least, is unjust also in much." The 
real Christian must be faithful in little things as 
well as in great things. 

Let me tell you a story of a man who knew 
the value of little things. This man became 
one of the most important people in the city of 
Paris. You know Paris is the capital city of 
France. Well, this man came to Paris when he 
was a boy, a little boy, not bigger than many of 
you. When he came there he wanted some one 
to find him something lo Ao. "^ wi\\>SJ^^^s^^>ss^ ^ 



lOO SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

he asked one man after another, could they give 
him some work ? He was greatly discouraged, 
and almost tired of saying " Please, sir, can you 
give me something to do?" and hearing the 
answer, "No: I have nothing for you to doj 
what can such a little fellow as you do ? " At 
last one day he went into a banker's house. 
There were a great many people standing in the 
office, so he went up to one of them and said, 
"Please, sir, can you find me something to do?" 
" No : I cannot," was the answer. As he went 
to the door to go away, he saw a pin upon the 
floor. He stooped down and picked it up, and 
stuck it in his sleeve. The chief person in the 
office saw him do this, and called him back. — 
" Boy," said he " what do you pick up that pin 
fpr ? I don't want it, it would be of no value to 
me, but I want to know what made you pick it 
up."— « Well, sir," said the boy, " I wUl tell you. 
My mother told me never to waste little things, 
but always to take caxe of them ! She said, 
^My son, if you will taV^ cax^ ol \\\.^^ ^^wcMg. 



LITTLE THINGS. lOI 

even of pins, you will always find some use for 
them.'" — Said he, "I always like to do what 
my mother told me. I love my mother, and I 
always take care of little things." These words 
struck the banker so much that he said, " My 
boy, come to me to-morrow morning." He did 
so, and the gentleman gave him a place in the 
bank. He turned out so steady and diligent, 
that he soon rose from one thing to another, and 
in time he became the highest partner in the 
firm, and when he died he was the richest man 
in all Paris. His name was Lafiitte. 

Dear children, see what great results come 
from picking up a little pin. It showed character. 
It showed what the boy was. He was a boy 
that minded little things^ and all his success in 
life afterwards he traced to this little circum- 
stance. Little things are never to be despised. 
I always tell my own boys never to think lightly 
of every-day things. Oh, the importance of 
little habits I Habits of reading, habits of prayer, 
habits at meals, little habits t\v\Qiv\^ *Cs^R.^5lKl\^ — 



102 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

all are little things. But they make up the 
character, and are of the utmost importance. 
So, dear children, when people tell you there is 
no use in little helpers like you, don't mind them. 
By attending to lUtle things^ you will be able to 
do much for the " Bird's Nest." 

Now what can you do ? 

I St. Take a deep interest in the whole concern. 
Here are these boys and girls taught to be clean, 
taught to work, taught to behave well, taught to 
read the Bible, and taught to know the way to 
heaven. What a great work is this ! What an 
honour to be a helper of it I 

I know a clergyman who was once going to a 
missionary meeting, and he met a boy running 
in a very great hurry. So he stopped him, and 
said, " My boy, why are you running so fast ? 
What is the matter ? " " O sir," said the boy, "I 
am going to a missionary meeting, and I must 
not lose a minute, for I am late." — " But what 
makes you in such a hurry about it ? you are not 
wanted at it ''— " Oh," said the boy, " I am part 



LITTLE THINGS. 103 

of the concern." — "How is that?" said the 
clergyman. — " Why sir, it*s a thing that I sup- 
port, and I have a share in it myself." So oflf he 
ran to the meeting, and the clergyman followed. 
The Report was read, and the gentleman who 
read it out, read that the total sum of money 
collected was so many pounds, so many shillings, 
and one penny. " Oh," said the boy, " there goes 
my penny!" So his giving the penny made him 
feel that he was part of the concern. 

2nd. Always /ray ^ the ''^Bird's Nesty If 
God's blessing is to be got, it must be sought 
It is of great importance that all children should 
pray for God's blessing on every work they enter 
upon. One of our missionaries came home from 
India, and told us that as he was going home 
one night, he passed by some trees, and heard 
voices. He thought he would like to hear what 
was going on, and to his great joy he heard 
the voices of children praying. These heathen 
children were praying for a blessing upon the 
missions. He heard ona ciiVi ^\»:?^ % ^"^ ^ Xrs^V 



I04 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

I pray Thee to make my grandmother's ears 
longer." I wonder if any one here could tell 
what he meant by that prayer? I will tell 
you. He meant that as his grandmother was a 
heathen, her heart was unchanged. She would 
not listen to what she was told about Christ, or 
she would pay no attention to what she heard. 
So her little grandson prayed that she might 
have longer ears in order to attend more to 
what the missionary said ! Dear children, cannot 
you pray that God would make people's ears a 
great deal longer? People are told about the 
"Bird's Nest." You talk to them about the 
"Bird's Nest" You ask them to help you to 
give something to the " Bird's Nest" But you 
sometimes speak to them in vain. Their ears 
are so short that they will not listen, or do not 
understand what you mean. Could you not pray 
that the hearts of these people may be touched, 
so that more subscriptions may come in, that 
more active helpers may be raised up, and that 
God's work may go on faslet an^ l-a&x&x"^ 



LITTLE THINGS. lOS 

3rd. One thing more I will say. Let me beg 
of you to help this cause by showing a mission- 
ary spirit at home. I should not like to hear of 
any boys or girls being helpers of the " Bird's 
Nest," while they don't show a loving spirit, a 
kind spirit, in their own homes, towards their 
fathers, and mothers, and sisters, and brothers, 
and servants. My dear children, every one of 
you should be a missionary at home. Try to be 
a Christian at home. Try to adorn Jesus Christ's 
doctrine at home. Strive to be like the Lord 
Jesus Christ. Keep His words in your minds. 
Walk in His steps in your own families, towards 
your fathers and mothers, and every one else. 

There is a commandment I often think of, 
about which a great man once said a curious 
thing. There was in this country, before you 
or I, or any one now living, was bom, a great 
man called Archbishop Usher: a holy, godly, 
Christian Archbishop. This Archbishop resolved 
one day to pay a visit to a very holy Scotch 
minister, called Rutheifoid. ^^^^^^ss^^^ns^^^^ 



' I06 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

him in his private life, how he went on in his 
family. So he went dressed as a common 
labourer, that they might not know who he was. 
He knocked at the door, and asked very quietly 
for a night's lodging. Mr. Rutherford was a 
good, kind man, and was in the habit of receiv- 
ing strangers into his house. So the door was 
opened, and Usher was allowed to have the 
night's lodging. He was sent to the kitchen to 
get some supper. After supper was over, Mrs. 
Rutherford, who made it a rule to question and 
teach the servants every evening, asked any 
strangers who were present questions, and talked 
to them about their souls. When she came to 
the Archbishop, she said, " Tell me, my good 
man, how many commandments are there?" 
" Oh," said he, " there are eleven^ madam." And 
when he said "eleven," Mrs. Rutherford said, 
" Alas, what an ignorant man you are ! Have 
you never been at school? has no one ever 
taught you how many commandments there 
are ? " Then she told Vvim Wn "^o^^^^ ^wtckta 



LITTLE THINGS. I07 

the ten commandments, and how in the book 
of Exodus the ten commandments are all written 
down as plain as possible. " How is it," said 
she " that you are so ignorant ? " Usher held 
down his head, and said nothing for a time. But 
when she had done her questioning, he said very 
quietly, " There is a word in the Gospel, which 
says, *A new commandment give I unto you. 
That ye love one another ; ' and I think that a 
commandment given by our Lord Jesus should 
be attended to as well as Moses* commandments, 
— ^and one added to ten makes eleven." They 
soon discovered it was the great Archbishop 
Usher, and you may fancy how Mrs. Rutherford 
felt when she found it out ! 

Now, my dear children, I hope you will never 
forget the new commandment given by our Lord 
Jesus Christ. You are to show a loving spirit. 
You are to be willing to give up your own way, to 
be good-natured, to keep your tempers. This is 
love. This is practical religion. This is showing 
religion at home. Tbis ^\vcyw^ ^SKaX^^'ecw^^^i^ H§^ 



I08 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

and ask for money to teach the commandments 
of God to poor children, you yourselves are 
trying to keep them. 

Try, last of all, to honour all God's command- 
ments in spirit as well as in letter. There is a 
place in London where they sell all sorts of 
things. It is called "Soho Bazaar." A lady 
one day took one of her children there, a little 
girl. The little girl was so pleased with what 
she saw, that she was tempted to do what she 
ought not. She fell into temptation. I am 
afraid she did not pray when she said her pray- 
ers in the morning. Well, when she got into 
the Bazaar, she saw some things which looked 
so very nice that she coveted them. So by and 
by, as she passed one of the stalls, when her 
mother was engaged, and she thought no one 
could see, she took up a toy, and put it into her 
pocket. But oh, how heavy that pocket felt ! 
Her conscience began to speak to her ! How 
miserable she felt. Oh, that she had not taken 
that toy 1 As they were com\ii^ \i^ck^ her 



LITTLE THINGS. I09 

mother stopped to talk to the woman who kept 
the same stall, and the poor little girl pulled the 
toy out of her pocket and put it back without 
anybody seeing. She went home, and at night 
she said her prayers. She seemed unhappy. 
She was thinking of what she had done at the 
" Bazaar." Her mother said, " My dear child, 
what is the matter ? Do tell me." And as her 
mother spoke to her in a kind, loving way, her 
heart was melted, and she said, " Oh, mother, I 
have been so miserable to-day. I have not bro- 
ken a commandment quite. But oh, mother, I 
have cracked a commandment : " and then she 
told all. Oh, dear children, take care and don't 
crcuk any of the commandments ! 

The new commandment I have told you of is 
in the 13th chap, of John, and the 34th verse : 
" Love one another." Remember that. If you 
wish to help this blessed "Bird's Nest," do 
not forget the new commandment : " Love one 
another." Every one of you can understand 
that. The Bible says, "En^t^ ^. ^cJnJsSs. \jk»=^ >^^ 



no SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

known by his doings." We can soon tell w 
a little child is trying to keep Christ's 
commandment Keep it whole : don't let i 
cracked or scratched. May God help us al 
keep it, with a new heart and a lively fait! 
Christ ! Then when we stand at Christ's ji 
ment-seat, He will say, " Well done, good 
faithful servants, enter ye into the joy of ; 
Lord." 



-#>i^|oi^ 



« 



SEEKING THE LORD 

E ARLYx 



I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me 
early shall find me." — Pro v. viii. 17. 



DEAR Children, — I am going to talk to you 
about Jesus Christ and your souls. 

I want to make you happy. But I know that 
people are never really happy unless their souls 
are happy; and I am sure that people's souls 
cannot be happy, unless they love Jesus Christ 
And that is the reason why I am going to 
preach to you now: I want to tell you some- 
thing about Jesus Christ and your souls. 

Dear children, I hope you will all attend, 
while I talk to you. I ijt^.^ "feaX '«^^. "^ssg^^s. ^ 



112 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

God may come into your hearts, and make you 
able to do so. Try to listen to me; try to 
understand what I say; try to remember and 
carry away something in your minds. I wish to 
do you all a great deal of good. Do not forget 
I am preaching to you, — ^not to the grown up 
people, — ^but to you, only to you. 

Now just think what a pleasant text we have 
got here : it is said,—" I love them that love 
Me; and those that seek Me early shall find 
Me." 

These are sweet words indeed ; and who do 
you think says them? They are said by the 
Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Saviour 
of the world. He is called " Wisdom " in this 
chapter. But we know it means Jesus Christ, 
for there are things said about Wisdcwn in this 
chapter which cannot be said truly about any 
one but Jesus Christ Himself. 

Come, now, and let us see what Jesus Christ 
says ; — listen, dear children, for this is very 
important. 



SEEKING THE LORD EARLY. II3 

I. He tells us, — " I love them that love Me." 
Now what can we make out of this ? 

First of all, do you not think it is very 
pleasant to hear that there are people whom 
Jesus Christ loves 1 You know we all like to 
be loved in this world : only think how dis- 
agreeable it would be for you and me if there 
was nobody alive who loved us. Suppose that 
no man or woman cared a bit for us, — suppose 
that everybody neglected us, and left us alone ; 
what should we do ? We should be wretched, 
and miserable, and unhappy! I am sure we 
all like to be loved. 

Well, then, just consider what a blessed thing 
it must be to be loved by Jesus Christ, — ^by the 
Son of God Himself. 

You know that sometimes people love us in 
this world, and yet can do nothing for us. Your 
dear fathers and mothers love you, but perhaps 
they are poor, and cannot buy what you want ; 
or perhaps they are sick, and very old, and can 
do nothing to help you. 



114 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

Buty dear children, these are things that can 
never happen to Jesus Christ, and I will tell 
you why. 

Jesus Christ is very great: He is King of 
kings, and Lord of lords : He is Maker of all 
things : He is God Himself. He is Almighty : 
He is able to do an3rthing whatsoever He likes. 

Oh, what a thing it must be to be loved by 
Jesus Christ ! 

And again, Jesus Christ is very rich. He has 
got everything to give away which you can 
want, either for soul or body. He keeps the 
keys of heaven. He has got an endless store 
of blessings in His treasure house, far more 
than I could describe. 

Oh, what a thing it must be to be loved by 
Jesus Christ I 

And again, Jesus Christ is very good. He 
never refuses any one who asks Him favours in 
a proper way. He was never known to say. 
No I to any person who made a prayer to Him 
with a meek and humble heart 



SEEKING THE LORD EARLY. II5 

Oh, what a thing it must be to be loved by 
Jesus Christ 1 

Dear children, consider these things. Do 
you want a great friend ? — Do you want a rich 
friend ? — Do you want a kind friend ? Is this 
the sort of friend you would like? Then be 
sure there is no friend in all the world like Jesus 
Christ. There is no love so well worth having 
as the love of Jesus Christ. 

Blessed and happy are those whom Jesus 
Christ loves. I could not tell you a tenth part 
of all the great things He does for their souls. 

He pardons all their sins. He forgives all 
the bad things they do. He washes them in 
His own blood, and makes them whiter than 
snow, so that not a spot remains. Dear children, 
I think that is just what you and I want We 
have all sinned many many sins. 

Besides, He gives them power to become good. 
He puts His Spirit in their hearts, and makes 
them love God's ways, and like to walk in them. 
Dear children, that, too, is yi^X ^'^ ^^k^:^ ^"^^ 



Il6 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

and I want We have very bad, wicked hearts, 
by nature. We never love God's ways of our- 
selves. 

Besides this, He takes care that none wham He 
loves shall he lost. He keeps them as a shepherd 
keeps his sheep. He will not allow either 
wicked men or the devil to destroy their souls. 
Dear children, that, too, is just what you and I 
want. We are all very weak foolish creatures ; 
we should never be safe if left to ourselves. 

And lastly, He is getting ready a place in 
heaven for those whom He loves. He has a 
glorious house for them there, far away from sin, 
and sorrow, and trouble. Dear children, that, 
too, is good news for you and me. Is it not 
pleasant to think He has prepared a home for 
us, so that whenever we leave this world we 
shall go to a place of peace and rest 

All these things the Lord Jesus Christ does 

for those whom He loves. Only look at them ! 

What mighty things, what glorious things they 

are I He cleanses them itom a)Ci >2a&\i ^\xs&. He 



SEEKING THE LORD EARLY. II7 

gives them power to be good. He takes care 
they are not lost. He gets ready a house for 
them in heaven. 

Dear children, this is love indeed; this is 
love worth having. Did I not tell you truly, 
there is nothing in all the world to be compared 
to Christ's love, there is nothing like being loved 
by Jesus Christ ? 

II. But let us see next who are those that 
Jesus Christ loves. He tells us in our text 
He says, — " I love those that love Me." 

Now, how shall we know whether we love 
Jesus Christ or not? This is indeed an im- 
portant question. Are there no marks or signs, 
perhaps you will say, by which those who love 
Him may be found out ? Yes, dear children, I 
think there are; and what those marks and 
signs are, I shall now try to show you. 

Remember, then, for one thing, those who lovt 
Jesus Christy believe whatever He says in the 
Bible, 

The Bible says we ate «1\. OTS!aKC8»0^<^s^^^'5ss^^»^ 



Il8 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

ing sinners ; full of wickedness and deceit ; de- 
serving of nothing but God's anger. Many 
people cannot quite believe this: they cannot 
bring themselves to think they are so bad : they 
dislike to be told of it. Not so those who love 
Jesus Christ, — ^they believe it all j they are ready 
to say, It is true, true, quite true. 

Again, the Bible tells us we must come to 
Christ, and trust only in Him, if we would be 
saved. It says that nothing but His blood can 
wash away our sins ; that it is only for His sake 
that any one can be forgiven. Many people 
will not believe this either. They cannot think 
their own goodness will not help to get them to 
heaven. But those who love Jesus Christ believe 
it all. They take the Lord at His word ; they 
leave oflf trusting in their own goodness, and 
are ready to say, " None but Christ, none but 
Christ is my hope." 

Dear children, no one can love Jesus Christ 

who does not believe what He says. Think 

what a sad thing it would be \i ^ou ^xid 1 could 



SEEKING THE LORD EARLY. II9 

not get our relations to believe us. Only fancy 
how hard and unkind it would seem if they 
were to say, " We do not depend at all on 
what you tell us, we cannot trust your word." 
I am sure we should suppose they no longer 
loved us. Tliis, then, is one mark of those who 
love Jesus Christ, — ^they never doubt what He 
tells them, they believe every word. 

Remember, for another thing, those who love 
Jesus Christ try to please Him. You know when 
you love people in this world, you try to please 
them. You try to do what they bid you, and to 
behave as they wish you, and to remember 
what they teach you, and to mind what they 
tell you, — ^and why do you do so? Because 
you love them. 

And besides this, you try to please them, not 
only before their faces, when they can see you, 
but also when they are gone away, and out of 
sight. True love makes you always think, 
" What would my dear friends like me to do ? " 
If your father and mother found you dains^ 



I20 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

naughty things,— doing what they told you not 
to do, might they not well say, " Child, child, 
I am afraid you do not really love me ? " Yes, 
indeed they might. True love will always cause 
true obedience, and the Bible says, "Even a 
child is known by his doings." (Prov. xx. ii.) 

Now, dear children, just as you try to please 
your friends, if you love them, so do those who 
love Jesus Christ try to please Him. They 
are always trying to do His will, to keep His 
laws, to live after His commandments, to obey 
His precepts. They do not think any of Christ's 
commands grievous; they never say that His 
laws are hard, strict, and disagreeable. It is 
their delight to walk in His paths. 

Dear children, no man, or woman, or child, 
can really love Jesus Christ, if they do not try 
to obey Him. " Ye are my friends," He says, 
" if ye do whatsoever I command you." 

This, then, is another sure mark of those 
who love Jesus Christ, — they try in all things 
to please Hinu 



SEEKING THE LORD EARLY. 121 

Now we have got through one part of our 
text. Sit still and think for a moment about 
what you have heard. Each of you ask your 
own heart this little question, — ^^ Do Ilovejestis 
Christ or not 1 Do I believe what He saySy and 
do I try to please Him 1 " Those who can answer, 
"Yes," are the children He especially love. Oh, 
remember what He says: " I love those that love 
Me." 

III. But let us look next to the other part 
of our text, and see what we may learn from it. 
I really think this part is almost as pleasant as 
the first, for it contains a sweet promise : " Those 
that seek Me early shall find Me." 

Dear children, how are you and I to seek 
Jesus Christ? He does not live upon earth like 
one of us ; we cannot see Him with our eyes ; 
we cannot reach Him and take hold of Him 
with our hands ; and yet He says, " Those that 
seek Me shall find Me." What can this mean? 
Let me try to tell you. 

First of all, you mtist sctk Jesus CKH^t v^ "K-vs. 



122 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

own Book. The Bible is Jesus Christ's book, 
and all who want to know Him must be very 
diligent in reading their Bibles. He says to 
every one of you, " Search the Scriptures," and 
He will give the Holy Spirit to those who seek 
Him in the Scriptures, and teach them all about 
Himsel£ 

Dear children, be regular readers of the Bible 
all your lives. Let the word dwell in you richly, 
and then you will be truly wise. Read it daily, 
read a great deal of it, try and remember it, 
learn texts by heart I remember a little girl in 
my first parish, who could learn seventy verses 
of the Bible in a week. How pleasant it is to 
find the Apostle Paul reminding Timothy, that 
fi-om a child he had known the Holy Scriptures. 
Now, why should not all of you be like Timothy 
in this ? I should like to hear that you were all 
Bible-reading children,— <:hildren who read the 
Bible at home as well as at school. 

This, then, is one way to seek Jesus Christ 
You must seek Him in tYie BM^. 



SEEKING THE LORD EARLY. 1 23 

Secondly : you must seek Jesus Christ in His 
awn house, Jesus Christ has many houses in 
this country, where people meet together to pray 
to Him, and to hear about Him. This Church 
is one of them ; and wherever two or three are 
gathered together in Jesus Christ's name, the 
Lord Himself is really present, though we cannot 
see Him with our eyes. 

Dear children, I hope you will all regularly 
go to Jesus Christ's house as long as you live. 
I hope you will never do like those foolish people 
who keep away from it. Oh, what sad harm 
they are doing to their poor souls I 

And when you go, try to attend to all you 
hear, and to get good from it. Do not stare 
about, and make a noise, or talk to other chil- 
dren, but listen well to all that is read or preached. 
Jesus Christ is there, and sees how you behave. 
He loves to see little children coming to His 
house, and behaving well ; and if you persevere 
in so doing, you may be sure He will put His 
Spirit in you, and fill you with all knowkds^. 



124 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

This, then, is another way to seek Jesus Christ. 
You must seek Him in His house. 

Thirdly : you must seek Jesus Christ on your 
knees in prayer. You must ask Him with your 
own mouth to give you everything that your 
soul wants. You must ask Him to cleanse you 
from all your sins in His blood, — ^to give you 
His Spirit, — to make you good, obedient, 
gentle, kind, truth-speaking children, — to keep 
you from being selfish, idle, greedy, passionate, 
cunning, or ill-tempered. You must tell Him 
all you are afraid of, and all you feel, and 
all you wish to have for your souL This is 
prayer. 

And you need not be afi:aid of Him at all 
when you pray. He would like you to tell 
Him all in your own simple way, just as you 
tell your own mothers when you want an)rthing. 
He loves children very much. He was once 
much displeased with His disciples, because 
they /prevented people bringing their children 
to Him, and He said, "Sufei l\vfc\iW^^OtSv.^afc\!L 



SEEKING THE LORD EARLY. 1 25 

to come unto Me, and forbid them not." And 
He is just the same now that He was then. 

Dear children, I should like you all to be 
praying children,—- children who tell the Lord 
all your wants, and are not afraid to speak 
to Him. Prayer is the surest way to seek 
Him, and without prayer your souls will never 
prosper. 

Never mind if your prayers seem very poor 
and weak. Only let them come from your 
hearts, and the Lord hears them. 

The Lord Jesus hears every prayer that is 
prayed to Him in earnest. The least prayer of 
a little child on earth is loud enough to be heard 
plainly in heaven above. Heaven seems to be 
a long way off, but you may be sure the very 
moment the prayer is spoken it is heard there. 
A little key will often open a great door. Prayer 
is a little key of that sort. It can open the 
door of heaven, and take you up to the very 
throne of God Himself. Blessed are they who 
delight in prayer, and call m\icK\i3^\s.CiKA. 



126 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

This, then, is the third way to seek the Lord 
Jesus Christ You must seek Him in prayer. 

Dear children, I have told you how to seek 
the Lord. Ask yourselves, each one of you, 
before you go any further. Do I really seek 
Him? 

IV. But our text tells us something about 
those who seek Jesus Christ, and what is it ? It 
says they " shall find Him." 

The Lord promises " they that seek Me shall 
find Me." How sweet it is to hear that. Think 
how disagreeable it would be to seek and seek 
all our lives, and have our trouble for nothing, 
and never find Him. But the Lord says, "/>^ 
shall find J^." 

Now I want to tell you what this "finding" 
means. We shall not see Him with our eyes, 
for He is sitting at God's right hand in heaven, 
and not on earth, and yet we are told we shall 
find Him. How can this be ? Let me tell you. 
You will find the Lords presence in your own 
Aisar^s and minds. You m\\ fed ^om^\3QMa<^ 



SEEKING THE LORD EARLY. 1 27 

within you, as if the Lord Jesus Christ was 
sitting by you, and taking care of you, and put- 
ting His arm round you, and smiling upon you, 
and speaking kindly to you. Just as a blind 
person feels brighter and happier when the sun 
is shining pleasantly on him, though he cannot 
see it, so you and I, if we seek Jesus Christ in 
earnest, shall soon feel our hearts lighter and 
happier, and something within us will make us 
know that we have found Him. 

Dear children, it is sweet and comfortable 
indeed when we feel that we have really found 
Jesus Christ. Oh, that you may never give up 
seeking till you have found Him ! and you will 
find Him, I know, if you seek on, for He is not 
far off. He is very near every one of us, He is 
waiting for us to call upon Him. 

When you have found Him, you will feel as if 
you had got a sure Friend in whom you can 
trust. A Friend who will always love you, 
always watch over you, always take care of you, 
always be good to you, nevei feik-^o?^. 



128 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

When you have found Him, you will feel as if 
you had got strength and power to walk in 
God's ways ; strength to keep yourself from bad 
words and bad company ; strength to do things 
which please God. 

When you have found Him, you will feel as if 
you had got a pleasant Comforter living in your 
heart You will be far more happy, and cheer- 
ful, and content, than you were before. Little 
things will not put you out as they used to do. 
You will not be afraid of sickness, or pain, or 
death. 

Dear children, how delightful it will be to feel 
all this. Try, all of you, do try to find Jesus 
Christ. 

V. And now there is only one thing more in 
our text that I want to talk to you about. Only 
one little word. But that little word is so very 
important, that I dare not pass it over. It is 
the word " early, ^^ " They that seek Me early,** 
the Lord Jesus Christ says, ** they are those that 
shall find Mq:' 



SEEKING THE LORD EARLY. 1 29 

Dear children, that world ^^earfy^^ was meant 
particularly for yourselves. Seeking Jesus Christ 
early means seeking Jesus Christ when you are 
quite young, and that is just what I want you 
all to do. 

Children, the Lord sends a message to you 
this very day by my mouth. He says He should 
like you to begin seeking Him at once. 

Now, do remember, all of you, you cannot 
begin seeking Jesus too soon. 

Seeking early is the safest way. Children 
may be young and healthy; but no children 
are too young and healthy to die. For death is 
very strong : he can soon make the healthiest 
of you pine away, and make your rosy cheeks 
pale and sickly. And death is very cruel : he 
does not mind whom he takes away out of 
families, and he will not wait for anyone to get 
ready ; he will take you just when he pleases. I 
think quite as many young persons die as old 
ones. I see the names of quite as many young 
people as old on the gcav^ %\$^tl^^« ^S^^SflKss^ 



130 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

you would not like to die without having sought 
the Lord at alL Oh, remember, seeking early 
is the safest way. 

And then, besides this, seeking early is the 
happiest way. Surely, if it is so pleasant to have 
Jesus Christ for a friend, the sooner you have 
Him for a friend the better. You cannot think 
how happy a child's life goes on when his ways 
please the Lord. Everything seems bright and 
cheerful; lessons seem more easy, and play 
seems more pleasant; friends seem more kind, 
and trouble seems less troublesome ; and every- 
thing in life seems more smooth. Dear children, 
I want you to enjoy all this. Then make haste 
and delay not to seek the Lord. 

And last of all, seeking early is the easiest 
way. When you and I have got a great deal of 
work to do, you know there is nothing like 
beginning in good time. Now this is just what 
you should do about your souls; you should 
begin in good time to seek Him who alone can 
save them. People that \ia\^ ^o\. ^or^ x.^ ^^ 



SEEKING THE LORD EARLY. • 131 

that must be finished before dark, take care to 
get up early in the morning. So should you do, 
dear children, in working about your souls. You 
should seek the Lord in the morning of life, and 
get your work done before the night of death 
cometh, when none can work. Every year you 
put it off you will find it harder work, — more to 
be done, and less time to do it. Every year 
you will find your hearts more stubborn, — more 
unwilling to do what is right. Now they are 
like young trees, — so soft aiKl tender, that by the 
Lord's help you may bend them any way. In a 
few years they will be like strong thick trees, — so 
tough and well rooted, that nothing but a mighty 
wind can shake them. Dear children, begin to 
seek the Lord at once. I want you to have as 
few difficulties as possible in your journey to 
heaven. 

Consider these things, — consider these things 
well ; and begin early to seek the Lord. It is 
the safest way, the happiest way, the easiest way. 
Try to be like ObadiaS\^ \qV^ \ft»i^^ •^^'Vfs^^ 



132 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

from his youth. Try to be like our blessed Lord 
Jesus Christ Himself, who grew up ^^ in &vour 
with God and man." 

Think of the day when Jesus Christ shall came 
again to this world. He means to come again 
in the clouds of heaven, with power and great 
glory. He will come very suddenly^ in an hour 
when no man thinketh ; like a thief in the night 
He will gather together all who love Him, and 
take them home to His Father's house, to be 
for ever happy. He will leave behind all the 
idle, and wicked, and unbelieving persons, who 
have not sought Him, to be wretched and 
miserable for ever. Dear children, Jesus Christ 
might come very soon. We do not know how 
soon. How sad it would then be to see others 
taken up to heaven, and ourselves left behind ! 
How dreadful to feel, " I might have been taken 
up too, but I would not seek the Lord ! " 

Think, too, of the great day of judgment; when 

all of us shall stand before God, and give accoimt 

of our works. Some o£ tiaa ^^^\^ ^Ko are 



SEEKING THE LORD EARLY. 1 33 

saved, will say then, "I never began to seek 
Jesus Christ till I was forty years old, and I 
wasted away more than half my life:" others 
will say, " I never began to seek Him till I was 
twenty, and I wasted many years of my life." 
But some will be able to say, "I sought the 
Lord when I was quite young — I can hardly re- 
member the time when I did not try to love 
Him." 

Dear children, how pleasant it will be for 
those people to think this ! How sweet to feel 
that they gave the first days of their lives as 
well as the last to Jesus Christ ! How glorious 
they will appear who have loved their Saviour 
in the beginning of their time, as well as in the 
end. The Lord grant that many of you may be 
found among them. Oh, seek the Lord early ! 
Seek Him while He may be found. 

And now, dear children, it is time for me to 
leave off and let you go. Perhaps I shall never 
see you all together again in this ^Qd<i^\s!.5iS35^^^ 



134 SERMONS FOR CHILDREN. 

I am almost sure I shall not, — ^but we shall all 
meet at the last day. I do hope you will think 
of what I have told you about Jesus Christ and 
your souls. Remember, I want you all to be 
happy children, and in order to be happy you 
must love Jesus Christ. 




CFINIS. "> 




Zim^n: fVUliam Hunt and Company^ HoUes Street." 



BOOKS FOE THE YOUNG, 

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS, 

Published by 

William Hunt and Company, 

23, Holies Street, Cavendish Square. 



PLEASANT 8UNDA YS WITH MY CHILDREN; 
or, ** Here a Little and There a Little." Fa- 
miliar conversations on the Animals, Birds, 
Lisects, Eeptiles, Fishes, Flowers, Trees, and 
Precious Stones of the Bible. By the Author 
of <* Ethel Woodville," etc. With many 
Illustrations. F'cap 8vo. Extra cloth, gilt 
edges. 5s. 

THE UNSEEN O UIDE ; 
or, Stories and Allegories to Illustrate the 
Fruits of the Spirit. Square 16mo. With 
Engravings by the Brothers DaMel. By 
M. B. 3s. 6d. 

STORIES FROM MEMEL, 

Dedicated to the Young. By Mrs. Agnes 
de Havilland (n6e Molesworth.) With Six 
Illustrations, from Designs by Walter Crane. 
In square 18mo. Ex^a cloth, gilt ed.^^., 
2s. 6d. 



William Himr Ain> Ooicpany, f. 



LIVING JEWELS, 

Diyersiiy of Ghiistian Oharacter ; suggested 
by Precious Stones, with Biographical Exam- 

Sles. By A. L. 0. E. With Illustrationfl. 
mall post 8yo. Gioi^ boards. 2s. 6d. 

HAROLD AND LILT; 
or, the Birthdays. A Little Tale for Little 
Children. By Mrs. W. S. Burton. With 
Engrayings by Dalziel. Cloth, extra. Is. 6d. 

WAS HE A HERO? 
or, Eoger Milbrook's Battle in Life. ISmo. 
GLoth boards. Is. 

THE HOME OF POVERTY MADE RICH. 
By Mrs. Best, author of <^' Tracts on the 
Parables," etc. E'cap 8vo. Vignette Erontis- 
piece. Second Edition. Qoth boards. 2s. 6d. 

MARY M'CLELLAN 
A Tale for Mothers. By A. M. D. Dedi- 
cated to the Mothers assembling in Hatfield 
Street, Liverpool. With Frontispiece. Cloth 
boards. Is. 

THE CHILDREN S ROLL, 
arranged for One Month, with a Daily Text 
and Hymn. With Preface. Is. /^V 

HOLLES StEEET, OkTESn^TSB. ^Q^kBIE, 



-1